Map of the Problematique
by Aku Blossom
Summary: A new villain arises in Townsville, resulting a whirlwind of soaring emotions, changing alliances, and a tangled web of deceit and betrayal. "And every night it just stays the same...I dream of absolution..." Blossom x ?
1. The Evil Origin of Chemical X

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Crack, deal with it.

* * *

**

**How long has it been since last I saw the accursed sun?**

_"You will not get away this time demon! This ends now!" The warrior charged forward, shimmering blade slicing through the darkness. The monster howled in agony, twisting into the form of a great shadow dragon. The beast spewed the very flames of Hell itself at the warrior. But the Nameless Prince, in a stunning display of courage and power, sliced through the fire. _

_His weak mortal flesh covered in bloody lacerations, his sweat streaked hair torn from its top knot in a tangled mess, and his stained robe little more than shreds of cloth hanging on a powerful body, for all of the warrior's weakness in his eyes the devil found unshakable courage. Looking into those eyes, the demon felt, for the very first time, true fear._

_"Your reign of terror is over! Aku!"_

**Samurai Jack...the Nameless Prince...the forgotten warrior...the greatest hero...**

_"No! This...this cannot be..." The demon fell, barely able to hold himself up on once invincible arms. The Samurai stalked closer, limping, tired, bleeding out...unstoppable. The demon's flaming eyes rose up and stared into the Prince's eyes. Somehow, those mortal orbs held more fire than his own._

_"You...will not trick me again. There will be no escape, there will be no more games. This is the end, Aku," Before the demon could react, the Samurai lifted his blade—that damnable sword, forged by the very power of good and righteousness itself—and brought it down, right between the demon's eyes. All of his omnipotent power left him, and, howling like a pathetic worm, the great master of evil felt his immortal life come to an end._

**The man who slayed...the unstoppable, the immortal Aku**

_The Samurai stood victorious, watching as the lifeless sludge that once made up the demon's body now began to melt away. With a resolute nod, he ceremoniously tied up his hair, sheathed his holy blade, and turned. The nightmare now forever behind him, the Nameless Prince left the Pit of Hate, and went on to create his own future. The lifeless sludge seeped down into the pit, buried beneath the collapsing Hell around it. Gone, forever._

**How long has it been since I last saw the accursed sun? I hope they've enjoyed it**

_The Pit of Hate was closed forever, and the site where it once lay forgotten. The Samurai fell in love, married, and had a family. And that family splintered off, eventually setting out into a new world. Eventually...one of the distant sons of that Nameless Prince would come back. Back to Japan. Back to that forgotten site._

**The sun can't shine forever without casting a shadow...a great and powerful shadow...**

_What should have stayed buried forever...yearned to see the sun again. History refused to fade away, refused to simply cease being. Good had triumphed...but Evil refused to die._

**We learn little from victory...**

**But much from defeat....**

**And be certain...**

**I have learned...yes...I have learned well

* * *

**

A young professor, ripe out of college, stalked the excavation site. He pulled his hard hat down over his eyes, looking around nervously. As a major in biochemistry, he'd never imagined his first day on the job would involve him traveling to Japan and digging up an old ruin.

"Utonium! Make yourself useful over here!" James Utonium jumped and nodded ferociously, hurrying over to the head of the expedition. The site was a hole, about thirteen miles deep and ten miles wide. Utonium stood at the edge of the crater, whistling as he peered into the depths.

"What exactly are we looking for? I received the memo, but I can't say I completely underst-stand..." Utonium trailed off, smiling sheepishly. His superior knelt down, checking his personal palm computer.

"Tell me what you know, Utonium," The young professor nodded, kneeling down next to the elder. He rubbed his chin while surveying the area.

"This is generally a very fertile area, except for this specific location. Nothing grows, animals don't even step onto the ground here. Very curious..." The superior nodded, clicking his tongue.

"That's right, so we're setting just what the hubbub is all about. My men tell me we're still working to get to the bottom of this," The Professor whistled, standing up and shaking his head.

"Wow, that's incredible...hm?" Both looked at the head's computer, trading a grin.

"Looks like they found it, let's head down there," Utonium gave a nod and the two walked to the lift, heading down into the pit. The deeper they went, the air grew thicker, heavier, and hotter. By the time they reached the bottom, Utonium was sweating and panting. The digging crew had surrounded a spot toward the middle of the crater.

"What is it men?" The two broke through the crowd, kneeling down next to the puddle that had been revealed.

"Amazing..." The Professor watched the hair on his arms rise up. Everyone could feel the charge in the air. The Professor scanned the puddle, measuring the radiation coming from it. His breath caught in his throat. The device had begun to malfunction, the radiation was so powerful. Yet somehow, none of them seemed to be affected just by being exposed to the radiation.

"Interesting..."

* * *

Professor Utonium, a few years older, a few years wiser, stood over a glowing green flask. The mysterious substance found in Japan had proven a worthy adversary. It was a completely new substance, never before discovered by man. It held practically unlimited power, but was so volatile that it was practically useless. Years of work was quickly coming to a peak. A way to use the mysterious black substance.

"Just about...ugh...no..." The Professor increased the heat on the burner, biting his tongue. Any chemicals introduced to the substance simply evaporated. No change to the substance itself. But...but the Professor was verging on an answer.

"Now just have to alter the compound...there, this should stabilize the substance...oh...oh...there...oh my that glow..." As the Professor added the new part to the substance, it began to glow a strange green. The Professor smiled and began scanning the new chemical.

"There...stable, without a reduction in power. I knew that family heirloom would help," The heirloom in question was an ancient powder, an unidentifiable metal powder, passed down through the generations. It had been...a desperate sacrifice, but one that had proven correct. The powder, mixed with pure water and charged with positive ions had somehow filled in the missing gaps in the substance.

"What to call it...well...I'll need to gage some uses, we'll just stick with Chemical X for now. It sounds so cool!" The Professor carefully lifted the flask of the newly christened Chemical X.

* * *

The Professor sighed while stirring his concoction. Sugar, spice, and everything nice...who was he kidding? It was a stupid, desperate idea. The Professor looked at the glowing beaker of Chemical X.

"If only there was some way to change things around here...who knows, maybe I finally figured out...oof!" The Professor jerked forward, his hands slamming through the beaker. Before he could realize the pain of the glass cutting his hands, he was blown away by a sudden eruption of white light.

The Professor groaned and slowly forced his eyes open, staring at the shattered remains of the metal pot. Eyes wide, the Professor slowly approached the table, staring at the three little figures staring at him.

"Hi!" The Professor screamed and took a step back. While he spoke with the three little girls, the sticky black substance that splattered the table began to slide away, dripping to the ground where it collected into a single point. The substance then slid away, escaping into the night, unnoticed.

**How long has it been since I last saw the accursed sun? The time is not yet arrived...but soon...soon the world will once again know...Aku...**


	2. The ReBirth of Evil

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Here is where the story begins in earnest. **

**Chapter 1**

* * *

The City of Townsville! The sun shined down beautifully on a warm Spring day. To and fro, the townies ran about in a gleeful flurry of work and activity. Even the villains of Townsville were hard at work, given new strength by the beautiful day to go the extra mile in bringing destruction and chaos to the great city. Of those villains, none was working harder than the simian genius, Mojo Jojo.

"Yes! Yes! Truly this will be my greatest, most powerful, most devious creation of all!" Mojo tightened the last screw, whistling his own rendition of "Janie's Got a Gun". The supervillain stalked to his computer console, running a diagnostics check on his latest mechanical weapon of mass destruction.

The device itself was a fighting robot, dubbed the Ultimate Fighting Robo Jojo Mach 27.13. It took up the entire span of the room from top to bottom, with massive, sturdy legs made of silver-blue duranium, reinforced by several layers of titanium preventing any easy chance of toppling the monstrosity. The body was large and thick, packed with enough hidden weapons to take out an entire army. The arms were long and bulky, with massive hands that came down passed the Robo Jojo's knees. The head was shaped like a robotic version of Mojo's own, capped with a duranium turban.

"Yes, yes! The power levels are at optimum efficiency; energy output is nearly five times that of those accursed girls' own robot! At long last! I, Mojo Jojo, have finished my ultimate, greatest invention! The day of Townsville's reckoning has come at last!" The villain burst into maniacal laughter, arms stretched out and eyes clenched shut. Behind him the Robo Jojo loomed ominously.

* * *

**A year in hiding is nothing to the great and mighty Aku...it was a year well spent...**

_A thick sludge-like substance slips through the sewers beneath Townsville. It has grown to twice the size it was upon escaping from the Utonium residence a year before. The sludge comes to a halt, trembling as it comes across a foreboding presence in the distance—light pouring in from the world above._

**I've grown powerful lying in wait...collecting power from this miserable planet. Hatred, agony, destruction, pain, lies, sin, and terror have all flowed into me...but something is wrong...**

_The sludge slides closer to the light, bits and pieces dripping off haphazardly into the sewer water. It peers up at the light, choosing instead to slide into the water and fight the current, than to do war with the sun. Its power had grown, but it had not yet grown that strong._

**Something is hindering my power...the world is not the dark age it was before. This city...it festers with evil, and yet something is holding it all back...something familiar...**

_The sludge pulls out of the water and slips deeper into the black sewer depths. In the distance, it feels a surge of power, and begins quivering anxiously._

**Whatever it is, I shall take great pleasure in crushing it in my own two hands...it will take ****just one folly, just one mistake, one surge of power...and then the great Aku will rise once more!**

_The sewers fell empty, save for the occasional flushed goldfish and the wandering packs of vermin. But the silence was broken by a wicked, gnarled laughter. A laugh so evil, even the rats fled to the surface._

* * *

Pokey Oaks Kindergarten! A happy and friendly learning environment where the town's youth began their path to intellectual enlightenment! Spreading their wings and taking flight aboard the reading rainbow! And of all the students in Pokey Oaks Kindergarten, none aspired for higher learning quite like Blossom of the Powerpuff Girls.

"Now as you can see students, if we have three sets of two apples, that means we have three times two apples. And can anyone tell me how many apples that is?" One hand in the back shot up like lightning, bright pink eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. The teacher giggled and put her hands on her hips with a wry smile.

"Now class, I know she enjoys answering, but I simply cannot have Blossom answering every question. Would anyone else like to volunteer?" Not a single hand went up to join the excitedly waving hand in the back. Ms. Keane chuckled and nodded. "Alright, Blossom, what is the answer?" Blossom beamed and sat up straight and proper.

"The answer is six, Ms. Keane!" The teacher smiled proudly and nodded, writing the answer on the board.

"Very good! Now does everyone understand how she came to that conclusion? Well then let's take a look, shall we?" As Ms. Keane began to explain, Buttercup turned to her sister, sticking out her tongue. Blossom glanced at Buttercup, still wearing a smug smile.

"What?" She whispered knowingly. Buttercup just shook her head and huffed. The green puff crossed her arms.

"You think you're so smart," Blossom giggled and grinned putting her hand to her chin.

"Well..." Bubbles overheard the two and turned to listen in. Before it could get juicy, the buzzing of the Hotline interrupted their escalating argument. Blossom just sent Buttercup a glare before flying over to the cherry red phone, answering it with a big smile.

"Powerpuff Hotline! What's the trouble Mr. Mayor?" Blossom nodded, and narrowed her eyes, "Right! We'll get on it right away! Girls, Mojo is attacking the city in a new robot! Let's roll!" The three blasted off through the roof, while Ms. Keane stared blankly. Slowly, she set down her chalk, daintily took her seat at the desk and placed her hands in her lap, staring at the ceiling. With a weary sigh she got up and walked to the class phone.

"Talk quietly amongst yourselves, class. I have to call the contractor..." The last part of her moan was drowned out by the cheer erupting from the students.

* * *

In Townsville, the new mechanical monster, at the command of its maniacal master, was stomping down the streets and knocking over buildings. The typical ploy to lure the girls into battle. But this time, things would be different.

"This time...those girls don't stand a chance!" Mojo laughed wickedly, watching as the rainbow began to come over the horizon. Mojo turned up the sound system, and heard their accursed cry.

"Not so fast, Mojo Jojo!" Mojo snickered as the girls came to a halt a few yards from the robot. They wore varying looks of wonder and amazement. Blossom shook her head and swallowed hard, pointing her mitt at Mojo.

"That's enough Mojo!" Mojo's eyes narrowed, and the Robo Jojo's fists clenched tightly. Buttercup was the next to snap out of her awe. She brought up her fists and hit her chest hard.

"Yeah, no fancy robot is going to stop us!" Bubbles swallowed and looked at her sisters, then back at the Robo Jojo, her hand covering her mouth.

"Uh huh..." was all the blue puff could manage. Mojo laughed and pulled the microphone close, his voice echoing from the loudspeakers.

"Oh is that so? Well, why don't we find out! Let us fight, do battle, engage!" Mojo's voice, rising with excitement, suddenly became a fierce whisper, his eyes narrowed dangerously, "Let's do this," The Robo Jojo sprung into action, swinging one of its massive arms at the girls. All three snapped into action.

"Scatter!" The girls split up, breaking into what appeared to be a completely random series of swoops and twirls. In reality, it was a carefully planned and meticulously practiced maneuver. Buttercup came out of the scatter formation first, throwing a powerful punch right at the Robo Jojo's chest. The force of the punch did nothing to even move the robot, but the recoil of the strike was enough to render Buttercup immobile for several seconds. Just enough time for a duranium tendril to lash out and snare her.

"No! Buttercup!" Bubbles swooped down, spraying the robot with her heat rays. The robot lashed out, slapping Bubbles through a building. Blossom gasped and faced the cockpit of the Robo Jojo. Mojo flung Buttercup down into the pavement and turned his full attention to the remaining Powerpuff Girl.

"Now you see, Powerpuff Blossom! This day you shall not win! You shall be defeated! You shall fall! You. Shall. Lose." Blossom swallowed and narrowed her eyes. She tensed up her muscles, afraid to look away from the Robo Jojo to check on her sisters. Below the two heard rubble shifting. A few seconds later, Buttercup joined Blossom in the sky. The wall of the building to the other side exploded and Bubbles joined the other two.

"Okay this robot is really powerful," Blossom muttered, talking more to herself than the others.

"Really powerful!" Bubbles repeated, nodding her head. Buttercup scowled and flexed her arms.

"It ain't so bad, we can take it," Blossom nodded, looking around. The streets were thankfully cleared. The three heard mechanical whirring and quickly launched a counteroffensive. The robot fired a slew of missiles from its arms, while swooping a blast of lasers from its eyes through the air.

Blossom fired her ice breath at the robot, but a heat wave rose up from it and sent all three flying back.

"Woah! That was mean!" Blossom cried, picking herself up off the ground. Bubbles took a deep breath and let out a sonic scream, which was quickly negated when the four tendrils from the robot's back began to spin around like propellers, emitting a kind of forcefield. Bubbles gasped and Blossom groaned in frustration. Buttercup snorted and flew high into the air.

"I'll take this sucker down! All the way down!" Buttercup dove down and slammed her fist into the ground, causing a split to travel along the pavement. The robot stepped back, avoiding the crumbling ground. In response, the robot fired dual lasers from its arms at the girls.

"Scatter!" The girls dodged, flying back in quickly to try to surmount the robot's insurmountable defenses.

* * *

**That sound...oh what a sweet sound it is! The sound of violence, bloodshed and war!**

_The sludge crawled out of the darkness. A split had appeared through the ceiling of the sewer it had chosen to inhabit. The sludge stalked toward the sunlight, sizzling and hissing violently. Above, __however, came sounds that gave the sludge new strength. A great battle was taking place. The sludge shuddered, yearning to be part of the conflict. Yearning to drink in the hatred radiating from them._

**Such power...it is truly a magnificent sight...if only there was some way to take advantage...yes...YES!**

_The dark sludge crept into the sunlight. Although the light burned, the thirst was too great. The rush, the desire, the necessity to become complete. To...be reborn. The sludge peered up through the cracks as a feminine scream echoed overhead. The sludge heard two voices yell a name, and watched as blood rained down from the sky. The blood dribbled down through the crack onto the substance._

**This...this power is mine! It is MINE! YES! This! Is! It! I need more! More! MORE!**

_The sludge began to glow even darker, and started to crawl up the wall. There was a massive explosion and a great mass fell over the crack._

**Perfect...now come to me...restore me...**

_The sludge slipped inside the machine, crawling deeper and deeper into its core. Toward the very source of its awesome power. The substance wrapped itself around every bit of the robot's circuitry. Poured into every energy cell and computer processor. Silent and undetected, the sludge became one with the Robo Jojo._

**Revive me! Revive the great and powerful, AKU!**

* * *

"Blossom! Blossom are you okay?" Bubbles hovered close to her sister, hands pressed tightly to her mouth. Her face was sheet white, her eyes big and terrified. Blood streamed down Blossom's arm, where a duranium blade had nearly cut it off.

"I'm...I'm fine...we need to stop this thing..." Blossom winced, knowing that it wasn't true. She was hurting badly, and the action was keeping her body from healing. If Buttercup hadn't pulled her out of the way...Blossom shook her head and fixed the Robo Jojo, badly dented and beaten, with a determined glare.

"What do we do, Leader Girl?" Buttercup floated up dizzily. Her face was badly bruised, and her fists were bright red from trying to pierce the robot's armor. Blossom swallowed and turned to Bubbles. One of her pigtails had been sliced off, her dress was charred black and cut. She had a few scrapes and bruises, but was still in fighting form.

"I...we need something big...let's try our heat rays!" The three girls powered up their laser eyes and fired them at the robot. Mojo cackled and watched as the heat rays caused the robot's armor to begin glowing and trembling.

"W...What's happening?!" Mojo leered at the girls, pulling his microphone over.

"This Robo Jojo is immune to your pathetic energy attacks! It takes your power and separates it! Weakening it and using the negative energy to increase its power!" Bubbles licked her lips and looked at her sisters, then looked at Mojo.

"What about the good energy?" Blossom's mouth fell open. She already knew the answer before the robot's chest opened, revealing a giant cannon.

"Girls! Duck!" The cannon glowed for a few seconds before firing a massive wave of light at the three. They managed to avoid the attack, but just barely. The girls turned and faced the robot. The chest closed quickly, bringing them back to square one.

"Wow...that's not fair!" Buttercup growled, spitting at the ground. Blossom nodded, looking over at Bubbles, then back at Buttercup. She narrowed her eyes and steeled her nerves.

* * *

**Yes! That is wonderful! Do it again! More! I need more!**

_The sludge tightened its hold on the Robo Jojo's inner workings. A great force overtook the robot as dark tendrils clenched its energy cells tighter and tighter, drinking in the negative energy from the Powerpuff Girls' attack. A pair of glowing red spots appeared near the center of the sludge._

**Give me all of that wonderful power! Return me to my former glory so that I may once again crush the world beneath my unimaginable EVIL!**

_The red dots suddenly burst into flames. A mouth began to appear, and twisted fangs began to grow. The newly formed lips curled into a demonic grin._

* * *

"Girls, we have to use the Mega Blast! We'll see just how much power this thing can take!" Blossom floated into the air, her sisters following closely behind. Blossom nodded, holding out her hands, "We have to give it all of our power!" Bubbles and Buttercup nodded, assuming matching positions. Mojo swallowed nervously, turning up the defense grid to its maximum power. He clutched his controls tightly...unaware that they'd become completely useless.

"Draw, Powerpuff Girls!" The girls fired out beams of energy. Blossom's pink, Bubbles' blue, and Buttercup's green. The three attacks converged into a glistening point of searing white light. The sphere of white light glowed for a scant few seconds, before erupting in an enormous display of might.

The ground split, windows shattered, entire buildings began to crumble in the face of the Powerpuff Girls' strength. The clouds began to spiral overhead, thunder exploded in the air, and lightning arced through the sky. The Mega Blast collided with the Robo Jojo. The robot's defenses proceeded to pull in the energy, pulling apart the positive and negative energies. The negative energy flooded into the robot's energy cells.

The city rumbled as a violent tremor shook the Robo Jojo. The girls stopped, staring in horror. Inside, Mojo was losing his cool, staring at the readouts around him.

"No! This is impossible! It's...it's not responding! The robot is ignoring my commands, the controls are refusing my input! This...this is bad! Horrible! Awful! I've...I've...I've got to get out of here!" Mojo slid back into an escape hoverpod, blasting out through the roof of the robot. The girls saw him, but were too much in awe of the trembling robot. Sparks of electricity crackled around it. Above, the clouds began to pour down, a violent thunderstorm, on the city.

"What's...happening?" Blossom whispered. The robot sank to its knees and fell on its face. The city stood still, no sound but the wind, the rain and the thunder. Suddenly the back of the robot exploded. Once more the city stood still. The girls looked at each other. Mojo peered out from behind a building in horror. Suddenly, a great pillar of darkness, like a gnarled and wicked tree, began rising up from the back of the robot, into the sky, above the clouds. All of Townsville watched, awestruck.

"**Once again...I am free to smite the world as I did in days long past!"**


	3. Rain of Evil

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Guess who's back, back again**

**Chapter 2**

* * *

The rain poured down like tears from Heaven. A cliché, a tired and worn out analogy...it perfectly described the state of utter horror the city of Townsville felt, staring up at the great black shadow towering over them. Thunder crashed, and lightning flashed, and the city watched in horror, as a pair of great flaming eyes peered down at them from the clouds. The Powerpuff Girls trembled. Never before had they laid eyes on a monster like this.

**"Foolish people! Too long has this world walked in brilliant sunlight! At long last, I have returned! Now...you shall all bow before me, or face eternal suffering! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" **The demon's powerful voice echoed out over Townsville. People peered from windows, hid within their cars with the windows rolled up, and even ducked into alleys trying to get a closer look at the monster. Mojo Jojo stayed in his hiding spot.

"This...creature...what, what is this abomination?!" Mojo swallowed, ignoring the water streaming down his face and into his eyes. Try as he might, even the evil genius couldn't deny the unparalleled fear budding within him. Hovering over the tattered streets of Townsville, directly in the shadow of the beast, even the Powerpuff Girls were frozen in fear.

Bubbles opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, trembling violently. She whimpered, a high pitched, desperate sound. She shook her head back and forth, wanting to close her eyes, but unable to find the strength. Amidst the rain and wind, no one noticed the growing wet spot on her dress subtly tinkling down her stocking.

Buttercup's arms fell limply at her sides. Her lips were barely parted and her eyes were wide and unmoving. She tried clearing her throat, tried choking down the lump in her throat, but to no avail. She tried to get her mouth to move, tried to force a brave front, tried to defy the beast's claim. She couldn't utter more than an awed moan.

Blossom looked up at the creatures flaming eyes, his gnarled fangs and fiery beard. The monster stared back, a twisted, sadistic grin forming when she uttered a small cry. The bloody laceration on her arm had healed, but the arm was still too sore to use fully. Her hair, torn from its hair clip, was soaked and strewn across her face.

**"Ha! Ha! Ha! Is this what the world has come to in my absence? Mere children are sent into the lion's den?"** Blossom swallowed and straightened up, lifting her injured arm and pointing a shaky mitt at the monster.

"We...we're..." Blossom's voice came out a weak, ghost of its usual form. She cleared her throat and glanced at her sisters. They turned to her. Blossom looked back at the monster and found the strength to call out louder, "We're the Powerpuff Girls! And we won't let you destroy our city!" The monster stretched out its arms, curling its sharp fingers into fists.

**"Ah! Ha! Ha! So beat it...Power Puff Girls! I...Aku, Lord of Evil and Master of Darkness, accept your challenge! My new reign of terror shall begin with you!" **Aku narrowed his eyes and unleashed blast waves at the girls. The searing red rays of light, sparkling with black electricity, tore through the air with a near silent whistle.

"D-Dodge and fight g-girls!" The Powerpuff Girls dodged away from the rays, which slammed into the ground. The result was a massive pillar of explosive energy, silent but completely obliterating the surrounding city streets. The girls charged at the demon, who simply laughed again. As Blossom came at him from the front, Aku backhanded her, knocking her clear through a building several miles away, clear through the city streets and into the flooding sewers below. Bubbles came to an abrupt halt, seeing her sister batted away so easily.

"No! Blossom!" Aku grinned and brought down his other hand, slamming Bubbles into the ground. He continued to grind her into the pavement while Buttercup tried uselessly to draw the demon's attention.

"Let her up you creep!" Buttercup fired a volley of heat rays at Aku, who merely laughed while the energy was absorbed into his skin. Buttercup floated back in terror. "Oh no...not again," Aku thrust is free hand out, unleashing a blast of heat directly into Buttercup's face. The green puff flew through the air and collided with an apartment complex. Screams of horror echoed across the city as the building began to tumble backward and collapse on itself.

"No! We have to save those people!" Blossom cried as she flew back onto the scene. She gasped when the giant shadow overhead shifted and changed. Suddenly she found herself face to face with a giant, terrible looking black bird. A bird with the monster's face.

**"Do not dare to turn away from Aku!"** Aku slashed Blossom with his talons, flying circles around her as she struggled to keep up.

"I...I won't let you win!" Blossom wound up and landed a blow on the demon, who simply laughed and drilled her in the face with his giant beak. Blossom screamed as her cheek slit and blood began to dribble down her chin. Aku pulled back abruptly, hissing and glaring at the pink puff.

**'What is this? Something in this child's blood...' **Aku shook his head. It was no real threat to him, whatever it was. Blossom had recovered and started to fly back to the apartment complex, where a very dizzy Buttercup was struggling to hold the crumbling building up.

"Buttercup! I'm coming!"

**"I think not!"** Aku shifted, becoming a massive gorilla. He grabbed Blossom in one of his powerful hands, holding her face to the ground as they plummeted from the air. Blossom screamed as the two landed on a fire hydrant, the puff's powerful body crushing it, but not without causing her excruciating pain. Aku held her face in the now gushing water, cackling madly as she sputtered and struggled to get away.

**"Do not even try to fight, child! You are no match against the strength of Aku! Ah! Ha! Ha! Ha!"** Aku howled as something violently crashed into his side, like an angry hornet. The demonic gorilla swatted at the offender, missing her as she swirled around with fire burning in her eyes.

"Let her go you monster!" Bubbles ducked away from another attack and flew at Aku, landing several more annoying blows. Aku growled and flung Blossom away, shifting into a massive snake as he advanced on Bubbles. Bubbles dove away from the initial strike, but was caught in Aku's massive tail. She screamed as the wizard quickly wrapped around her and began to tighten his coils.

**"Yes! Scream, child! Your suffering is music to the great Aku!"** Blossom sat up, coughing violently. So violently, that soon she began to vomit, collapsing onto the ground once more. Tears streaking her face, her breaths coming in harsh drags, she heard a scream and turned. Blossom gasped seeing Bubbles trapped in Aku's grasp. She heard another yell and turned, seeing the building, held up by only Buttercup, slowly falling to the ground.

"No...no what do I do? Bubbles! Buttercup! I...I need to help them but..." Blossom looked back and forth, whimpering and rubbing at the rainwater and tears streaking her vision. She heard Bubbles' scream abruptly cut off and clenched her eyes shut. "Buttercup! I'm sorry!"

Blossom launched herself at Aku, slamming her fist into his face. Aku chuckled softly and lifted his reptilian head up so that he and Blossom were eye to eye. Blossom shuddered, feeling her insides twisting uncontrollably. Aku inched ever closer, until she could feel his searing hot breath on her face. Aku narrowed his eyes, cocking his head. Her breath was soft and sweet, coming in small, panicked puffs.

**"You cannot hope to defeat Aku, child,"** Blossom shivered and clenched her eyes shut, opening them once again to stare into his. She clenched her stomach muscles and struggled to resist the urge to run. Aku grinned, baring his twisted fangs. Blossom half-closed her eyes and nervously leaned back from the monster. Aku sniffed, the metallic scent of her blood floating in the air. Something familiar drew him closer to her. Blossom's breathing sped up, a few frightened tears working their way to her eyes, even if they were lost in the rain. Aku's tongue flicked out, passing over her bleeding cheek. Blossom gasped and pulled her hands to her mouth. Aku came even closer, familiarity drawing him even closer.

"Back off ugly!" The two looked up as a green flash shot through the air and a powerful little fist slammed into Aku's cheek. The demon bristled, his flaming eyebrows lightening up in a blaze. He swung his tail around, hurtling an unconscious, barely breathing Bubbles into her sisters. The Powerpuff Girls sat helpless on the ground as Aku began to shift into a massive, darker form.

**"Insolent little whelps! I have lost my patience with you! Now you shall see the full wrath of Aku!" **Blossom's arms went limp and Buttercup softly muttered a phrase she'd heard the Professor say when he thought he was alone.

"Oh shit..." The massive form of the demonic dragon hovered over them, towering taller than any monster they'd ever faced. The dragon roared and spewed a wall of fire at the girls. Blossom grabbed Buttercup and pulled them both down over Bubbles. The wall of fire engulfed over half the city, every last inch of it that lay behind and near the girls. Aku roared as the fire fizzled out. The city was engulfed in fire and its heroes lay burnt and defeated on the ground.

**"Ah! Ha! Ha! Ha! How infantile! To think small children could even stand a chance against Aku!" **Throughout the fight, Mojo had watched in horror as the monster, Aku, effortlessly thrashed the Powerpuff Girls. While their fight with the simian had weakened them, even if they had been in good health, Mojo had his doubts that they could stand a chance.

"This monster...it is like nothing I've ever seen, witnessed, observed! What could this creature possibly be?" Mojo heard screams and looked around. The city was in a state of utter chaos. Flames were spreading quickly as the monster, shifted once more to his original form, stood over the destruction laughing, spreading more flames and crushing more buildings. Mojo noticed an oncoming vehicle and moved to a better location, trying to get a closer look.

"The...Professor? What is he doing here..." Mojo was shocked to see the Professor get out of his car, diving quickly away from a collapsing building. There was something in his arms that he was protecting with all his might. Step-by-cautious-step, the Professor inched ever closer to the demon. Just as he got close, the demon turned his flaming eyes on the scientist.

**"What's this? Another mortal has come to challenge the might of Aku?"** The Professor narrowed his eyes and uncovered the package. Mojo stared at the label on the beaker.

"Antidote X..." The Professor cleared his throat and shouted at the demon.

"I've got a present for you, monster! For hurting my girls!" Aku began to lean in closer, his eyes widening and a fearful shiver shaking his massive form. He gasped and quickly righted himself, howling in a fury.

**"You! How is this possible! Surely you are dead and gone! No! No, I will not again be defeated!" **Too late he lashed out at Professor Utonium. The scientist hurled the beaker at Aku. It smashed into the demon's descending face, orange liquid spilling out into his eyes. The demon arched his back and shot upright, screaming in agony.

**"What is this!? What have you done to me!?" **Aku rubbed his eyes furiously and stared at his skin. Where it came into contact with the orange substance, it began to liquefy. Aku howled and transformed into a massive black bird, vanishing into the clouds.

**"Do not rest easy Samurai! I will return! You will not again defeat Aku!"** Mojo crept out of the shadows and watched the Professor scoop up the girls.

"Girls! Girls wake up! Oh please girls..." The evil genius could hear the Professor babbling a few yards away. He heard the sirens of the fie department, heard the howls of both police car and ambulance in the distance. Mojo scratched his head and crossed his arms.

The monster, Aku, was more powerful than the Powerpuff Girls. It had defeated them without a bit of effort. The monster seemed to recognize the Professor...or at least confuse him with someone else. The Professor seemed to know something about the monster. Antidote X had managed to hurt the invincible beast. But what did this mean?

Mojo looked up at the clouds and rubbed his hands together, a wicked grin spreading across his face.


	4. The Wheel Begins to Turn

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Plot chapter, snore...or is it? Warning, I'm getting a little racy in this chapter. You'll definitely know it when you see it, feel free to skip. Or feel free to read it over again, you sick bastards.  
**

**Chapter 3**

* * *

The Professor drove in silence, his brow furrowed, his knuckles white. Every so often, he glanced to the side and watched his girls sleep. They hadn't been beaten, they'd been completely demolished. The...confrontation with that demon. It hadn't been a battle; it had been a beating. The Professor gently reached over and laid his hand on Bubbles' side. She whimpered quietly and curled up tighter. The Professor frowned and faced forward.

'The monster called me Samurai...maybe it's...no that's not possible. That was just a fairy tale, right? I don't know anymore...' The Professor sighed and pulled into the driveway. He turned off the car and sat, listening to the sound of the sirens in the distance. Listening to the sound of his precious little girls breathing. Quick gasps, shallow drags, and whimpering cries drowned out the rest of the world. The Professor narrowed his eyes and gripped the wheel even tighter.

'They didn't stand a chance...not even a chance...' The monster flew away, proclaiming vengeance on the scientist for stopping it. There were so many questions: what the monster was, where it came from, and how to stop it. The scientist opened the door, walked around to the other side, and carefully pulled the girls into his arms. Their powers were starting to take over the healing...but the emotional wounds were going to take even longer to heal.

"Don't worry, angels...Daddy's going to figure this out, no matter what," The Professor carried the girls inside, gently tucked them into their bed, and stalked down the stairs, staring at the house phone. In his hand he carried a small memo pad marked "Personal Numbers". He said down by the phone and sighed, staring at it. How would they react? Mock him? Ignore him? Maybe...or maybe they'd understand. He only hoped that either way they had the answers.

"Yes...hello Eugene? Yes, why yes it is Jimmy! Yes, I'm sorry I haven't called in a while. Things have been very busy here in town. Yes you know how it is," The Professor relaxed visibly, a smile worming its way onto his face. It really had been too long since he spoke with his brother. The Professor sighed and slouched, glancing toward the stairs. He didn't have time for small talk.

"Listen Eugene...something very bad happened today...no I'm fine...the girls are," The Professor looked toward the stairs again, "They're recovering," He nodded, taking on a grave presence. His brother continued asking questions, sounding as frantic and hysterical as the Professor felt inside. He chuckled listlessly and cleared his throat.

"A monster appeared while the girls were fighting their arch-nemesis...yes my old pet. He goes by Mojo Jojo now. Anyway...this giant black monster came out of Mojo's machine! I know it sounds ridiculous but...it fought the girls, and they didn't stand a chance. If I my hunch hadn't been correct, then the girls and I...and all of Townsville would have probably been destroyed," The scientist stood up, carrying the phone with him as he went. He stopped in the living room, staring at a photo of himself and his girls. His lips trembled, and he quickly turned it away.

"Eugene, the monster...it called me Samurai when it saw me. Yes," The Professor chuckled, "I thought the same thing...but it seemed to be almost frightened when it saw me. I was wondering..." He froze, staring at the wall. The Professor swallowed the massive lump in his throat.

"I was wondering if you knew anything about the story Grandpa used to tell us,"

* * *

The Professor sat in his lab, watching scenes from the fight over and over again. The monster fit his brother's description perfectly. A shapeshifting wizard of unimaginable power that seemed to be made of evil itself. The Professor rubbed his chin, wincing with every blow his little girls took.

"There has to be some way to find out how the monster was defeated...Grandpa's story was just that a noble warrior killed him. There must be more to it!" Professor Utonium watched closely as his video counterpart flung Antidote-X into Aku's eyes. Instantly the demon retreated, melting and screaming in pain. The Professor nodded, lightning up his pipe and pacing the room. Aku was the substance from which he created Chemical X.

"That would explain his power...and his reaction to Antidote-X. But what does it mean? How can I use this to help destroy him?" The Professor sat down once more and began to scan through the ingredient list for Antidote-X. Really, it wasn't an actual counterpart to the original Chemical X the girls were created from. He hadn't had real, honest, true Chemical X since that accident...since that blessing.

No what passed as Chemical X now was a vastly weaker, synthetic substitute. That was why Bullet's powers were substantially weaker than the girls'. That was why Mojo, in his mutated, monstrous form, was no match for the girls when they cut loose. That was why the mass-produced Powerpuffs created by Dick had been so wretched and inferior. Just the same, it was the reason why Mojo's mutation hadn't been removed by Antidote-X, and why the girls quickly recovered their powers after Mojo doused them with it.

"Any Antidote-X I create now will probably only have a hindering effect on Aku. What was the stabilizing agent in the original concoction?" The Professor flipped through a few more files, coming at last to a hidden document, the one and only location of the true formula for Chemical X.

"It was pure water, charged with positive ions...and the family heirloom! That metal powder...where did it come from?" The metal power was the necessary ingredient to stabilize the chaotic remains of Aku. The question now was where the metal powder came from. The powder itself was gone, it had taken all of the powder to create the original Chemical X. The Professor got up and made his way to the phone once again. This time...it was going to be a very long-distance call.

* * *

Mojo Jojo poured over his past inventions, his devious grin broadening when he at last found a weapon he never again thought would prove useful.

"Yes...yes, with this, the very weapon commissioned by Princess with which I can give Powerpuff Powers and inversely take away Powerpuff Powers!" Mojo snickered and took out the gun, setting it on a work table and checking the circuitry.

"It is still in working condition...yes, with this I, Mojo Jojo, will be in no danger to that changing monster! Antidote-X was what it took to hurt him, and what hurt him was Antidote-X! This means that the monster must, in some way, have Chemical X in it! And with this weapon, will I, Mojo Jojo, be in control when confronted by that monster!" Mojo cackled and sat down at his computer. The monster possessed frightening power. A power great enough to defeat the Powerpuff Girls. A power...that could easily allow an enterprising genius to completely take over the planet.

"If I can somehow enslave that monster, or at least find a way to harness its power, then I will be unstoppable! But how...with this gun I can harm the beast, but," Mojo trailed off, pulling up footage of the fight. The monster was faster than the Powerpuff Girls. The monster was stronger than the Powerpuff Girls. But most dangerous of all...the monster was quite simply too smart for the Powerpuff Girls.

"Long have I done battle against the forces of good and justice in this world, and in all that time there is but one, single, solitary individual I would ever consider my equal in intellect..." Mojo watched as Aku smashed Blossom through a fire hydrant and held her in the spray of water. He watched as Aku let her go to fight Bubbles, and continued watching as Blossom violently threw up. "And this monster, this demon, this...evil creature outmatches even her," Mojo frowned and steepled his fingers. Beads of sweat leaked down his cheeks. Mojo coughed and stood up, walking towards the exit.

"Stupid air conditioner must have frozen up again..." Mojo coughed once more and wiped his forehead, leaving his lab to find the thermostat. The monitor sizzled as it froze on an image of Aku laughing, standing over the defeated Powerpuff Girls. There was a loud snap and a hiss as the monitor went out, smoke rising into the air.

* * *

_She stared into those wicked eyes, unable to turn away. She could hear the flaming eyebrows flickering in the blank world around them. Something inside her stirred and made her mouth go dry. She could feel his searing hot breath on her face. It smelled like charcoal and ash...a horrible smell, one so terrible her eyes watered and her own breaths became shallow and weak. Everything around his vicious eyes, narrowed in a surreal state of intrigue, faded into blackness. It could easily be that he _**_was_**_ the blackness._

**_"You cannot hope to defeat Aku, child,"_**_ She gasped and tensed up. His voice was frightening and powerful, like that of a god. She shuddered when he leaned closer. She broke out into cold sweat and goosebumps. Her mouth fell open and her breathing became quicker, but deeper. He drew closer still, his slithering, wet tongue gently caressing her cheek. Her blood dripped down his lips. She found her voice, uttering a single, high-pitched moan._

_Her legs tightened up; she curled into a ball, panting and staring deeply into those wicked eyes. As he breathed on her yet again, she felt her muscles tightening and relaxing uncontrollably. Her breath stopped when his tongue gently flicked against her cheek again. She slowly became aware of a growing wetness._

* * *

Blossom sat up in a hurry, quickly covering her mouth and looking around. They were home, in their room, and in their bed. The lights were out and the door was cracked just enough to let a thin stream of light come in. Blossom looked down at her sisters, who were starting to wake up now. Blossom blinked and looked down, her eyes widening. She carefully slipped out of bed, cringing and hissing as pain rocked her body. Twitching, she flew off to change into a new outfit.

"Blossom? Blossom where are you?!" Blossom sighed and came out of the bathroom, smiling at Bubbles. Bubbles calmed down and smiled, flying over to her sister. Buttercup groaned and sat up, her bones cracking and popping.

"Oh man...could you two keep it down? My head hurts," Blossom pulled Bubbles over to the bed, the three looking their wounds over. Blossom sighed and kept her eyes on the bedspread. Buttercup looked away, refusing to make eye contact. Bubbles' eyes began to water, and in moment she started wailing.

"We lost! Townsville is doomed!" Buttercup rolled her eyes and glared at the blue puff. She pointed her mitt at the window.

"Oh relax, Dummy! Townsville is just fine! Look!" Bubbles sniffled and wiped her eyes.

"But...we still lost..." Buttercup looked down, her anger replaced by sorrow. Blossom sighed and grabbed their hands.

"Hey...come on, let's go downstairs and find out what happened," With a nod, they all flew downstairs, where they could hear their father on the phone. A pencil was scribbling rapidly, and the Professor's voice was kept at a low hush. The girls peered around the corner of the kitchen, watching their father.

"Thank you very much sir...yes I will..." The Professor threw the phone down, staring at the notes he'd taken. The girls traded a glance and flew up behind him, nervous to even make a sound. Finally Buttercup shoved Blossom forward. After a silent argument, Blossom put on a sheepish smile and lightly cleared her throat. The Professor turned around, a smile breaking his tired demeanor.

"Girls...you're feeling alright?" The girls nodded, floating down into the Professor's lap. The family hugged tightly. Blossom pulled away from the Professor, trying to get a peak at his notepad.

"Who were you talking to Professor?" The Professor picked up the notepad and sat down his pipe. He sighed and shook his head.

"I was...trying to find more information about that monster,"

"Aku!" Blossom quickly piped up. She blinked and put her hand to her mouth curiously. The Professor nodded, patting Bubbles' head.

"Yes, Aku. It would seem that...our family has something of a history with that monster," The girls looked up with wide eyes. Buttercup raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"What? Seriously?" The Professor nodded, and cleared his throat, reading the notes he'd taken.

"The monster is called Aku. He is an ancient sorcerer with unimaginable power who took over the world a long time ago. He draws power from the evils of the world, and is completely immune to all mortal weapons," The girls stared in awe. Bubbles raised her hand, gasping.

"But...but who saved us then?" The Professor smiled and hugged the girls again.

"I'm getting there girls...you see when Aku took over the world, there was only one person who stood up to him. A nameless samurai who had a magical sword imbued with the power of good. He used that sword to destroy Aku and bury him miles under the earth," The Professor picked up his pipe and puffed it again, "That samurai was my ancestor," The girls beamed, proud of their father's famous relative. Buttercup blinked and looked away.

"Wait, but how did Aku come back then? If he was killed?" The Professor laughed sheepishly and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"That's...a very hard question to answer. You see, the place where Aku was buried was an ecological phenomenon. And after graduating, my first job was working as a scientific consult at an excavation of the site. What we found, was a strange puddle of black liquid that gave off an impossibly high level of radiation," Buttercup and Bubbles nodded, listening intently. Blossom's face fell, realization starting to hit her. The Professor frowned and patted her lap as he continued.

"I took that substance back to a lab and tried to find a way to stabilize it so that I could use it's amazing energy...I found a way to and created a new...super chemical. I just never got around to giving it an appropriate name," Bubbles blinked and stared blankly.

"What happened to it Professor?" Blossom swallowed and looked up at the Professor.

"It's...in us isn't it? That...that stuff was Chemical X!" Buttercup and Bubbles gasped.

"What?"  
"No way! That's impossible!" The Professor nodded, sighing and taking out his pipe. The girls stared in horror. That monster was the source of Chemical X, and indirectly the source of the girls themselves!

"It's true...when I realized how powerful Aku was...I had a hunch and rushed out to help you. I splashed Antidote-X in his face and he ran away...but it won't be enough," Blossom lowered her head, putting her mitt to her chin.

"Why not Professor?" The Professor sighed.

"Well...there hasn't ever been an Antidote-X to the real Chemical X. You see, after you girls were created, every other beaker of Chemical X I made was a very, very weak synthetic Chemical X. Antidote-X is made to counteract that, not the pure and impossibly powerful real Chemical X...erm, rather the full power of Aku," The girls sighed and stared at their laps.

"Then...what can we do?" The Professor sighed and looked at each of the girls.

"Well...that's what we need to find out, huh girls?" The Powerpuff Girls nodded. Blossom looked toward the window, swallowing. What to do indeed...


	5. The Root of Evil

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: What about Aku? Just how many boring chapters am I going to add?**

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Far away, in the deepest darkness, a malevolent force began to grow. Flames began to rise up once more as hellish screams broke the eternal silence. That which had long been erased, had returned. And deep within this twisted nightmarescape, its Lord and Master sat in contemplative silence, his clawed fingers intertwined, his red eyes half-closed, his flaming eyebrows blazing.

**"So it would seem that skeletons once buried were not buried so deeply," **The dark master's skin had hardened once again, recovered in full from the small dose of Antidote-X the Professor had thrown at him. A minor annoyance, but pain where it was not expected stung sharper still. Aku narrowed his eyes, the image of the Professor burning in his mind.

**"So Samurai...our eternal struggle continues even now after your demise..." **At first, Aku had thought the Professor to be the Nameless Prince. A foolish thought, he admitted to himself. Humans, even humans as powerful as that man, did not live forever. This was a new man, who carried the same blood as the first. This was not a man to be feared. Aku grit his teeth, the pit growing hotter around him. The flames burst into life, blazing in earnest.

**"Those children...Powerpuff Girls...there was something within them that felt familiar in both wonderful and terrible ways," **The man who had confronted him called them his children. Aku growled and rested his arms on the rests of his throne. There was more to those little girls than meets the eye. They were powerful, no doubt. He had shown them true power, but he was not so arrogant as to ignore theirs. Their power intrigued him, no doubt. Aku peered into the fire, watching his own rebirth through the world's eyes.

He remained silent throughout the battle between the machine and the children. His eyes narrowed as the children let loose an attack of unimaginable power. The very same power that had flowed into him. The very same that had returned him to being. Aku stroked his beard.

**"Hm...but what does this mean? Such...negative energy in creatures so disgustingly good..." **The robot had siphoned out the positive energy. Just what was the positive energy, if the negative was so great that it could vivify the mighty Aku? The sorcerer rose and stalked through the fire, the image in it changing. He paused, watching the powerful children sleep, safe at home in their bed. He was inexplicably drawn to the one in the middle, the same whose blood he had tasted. Aku licked his lips and tapped his chin. Her blood...her arm had been injured in the bout with the robot.

**"So...Red Child, it was you who bled on the weakened Aku...you who gave me the strength to resist the accursed sun..." **Aku peered closer. The Red Child was dreaming, her breathing quick. Her face was heated and red. Aku blinked and lifted his eyebrow. She seemed to be distressed, moaning softly and barely able to catch her breath, but every so often a smile tugged at her lips. Suddenly, she woke, sitting up in a rush; the demon pulled back abruptly. He took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes.

**"Who are you, child? You are not creatures of this world, of that I am certain. No creature in this world has ever been so fascinating...so remarkable..." **Aku's words trailed off as he turned away from the vision. He paced across the pit, his arms behind his back. The Samurai was gone, and in his place was a simple man. But behind that man, were three children of inhuman power. Three mysterious little girls kept the Shogun of Sorrow at bay, even after they proved no match for his power.

_"It's...in us isn't it? That...that stuff was Chemical X!"_ Aku spun around, quickly returning to the vision. The girls were awake, sitting on the man's lap and discussing Aku himself. The demon stared at the vision, his look of disbelief slowly becoming a devious leer. He stared at the Red Child, chuckling to himself.

**"So that's the answer is it? Ah! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" **Aku once again began to pace the Pit of Hate, now wearing a wicked grin. The Samurai's legacy may have carried on, but it had led to something far greater than even Aku himself could have hoped for. His own power, given new form. Aku stood up straight, the vision fading behind him. He wore a devil's grin if ever there was one.

**"The power of Aku lies within them...as does the power of that sword...these children could be my greatest weapon...or my greatest enemies..."** Aku sat back on his throne, lacing his fingers and staring into the flames. A vision appeared within them.

_Aku chuckled as a tiny fist poked his face. He slowly looked up, hissing low as his fiery eyes met her trembling pink eyes. The punch had hurt no more than a butterfly landing on a tulip, but the look in her eyes was worth the minor annoyance. She uttered a soft moan, frozen as he inched closer until he could feel her weak breath. He stared at her intensely, yet...with the faintest hint of something foreign to the monster. Something...softer._

_Her eyes, an unnatural shade of hot pink, were wide and frightened. Tears streamed down her cheeks, leaking across the bloody wound on her cheek. He could see his own twisted reflection deep within her large pupils. Her blood trickled so delicately down her soft, rosy cheek. The rain poured down, matting down her soaked red hair. Her breath...her breath kept puffing into his face. It was a sweet, wonderful scent. Aku half-closed his eyes and leaned closer. Her lips, parted in terror, looked delicious._

_**"You cannot hope to defeat Aku, child,"**__ Her face, beneath the blood, sweat, and tears, seemed to become redder. She leaned back uncomfortably, moaning. Aku caught the metal smell of her blood in the air, and couldn't resist flicking his tongue across her cheek. She gasped and brought her hands to her mouth. Something within Aku started to race, and he began to lean in closer. Her bloodstained lips looked so delicious._

Aku sat back, watching as the vision began to repeat itself. The moment had lasted no more than a minute, yet somehow he couldn't forget it. Aku swallowed and closed his eyes. The vision faded, but the memory was still fresh.

**"What does this mean? What child is this?"

* * *

**

The Professor sat alone in the living room, sipping a cup of coffee and watching the morning news. Upstairs, the girls were still fast asleep. He didn't intend to wake them any time soon.

'Nothing...all of that research and discussion and we weren't able to think of anything,' The Professor resisted the urge to get his pipe; the girls complained about it enough as it was. He smiled and shook his head. His girls, his angels...they needed him now. He'd seen that much in their eyes the night before. They were lost, baffled, and defeated. He needed to find a way to overcome the villain they couldn't knock down.

'But what? I found everything I could about Aku...what else could there be?' The Professor wiped his forehead and tugged at his collar. Someone must have been playing with the thermostat, the house felt unusually warm for that time of year. The Professor coughed and stood up, starting toward the kitchen. A voice on the television stopped him in his tracks.

"And Townsville Museum is proud to announce the arrival of an authentic Samurai Armor from Japan!" The Professor rubbed his chin, still unshaven.

'A Samurai? The sword...what happened to the sword? Maybe there is something I can do...' The Professor started for the phone, but paused. He lowered his hand and sighed. Simple phone calls wouldn't be enough now. Desperate times, desperate measures. The scientist frowned and shuffled into the kitchen, starting up the stove and preparing to make the girls a wonderful breakfast.

"You're an idiot Jim...start at the source. Why didn't I think of it before?" Professor Utonium smiled and began to hum as he cooked. In the living room, the news shifted to a report about the Powerpuff Girls' battle with Aku. The television shut off and one of the lights fizzled and went out.

* * *

The girls and the Professor sat at the table, eating a quiet breakfast. The girls couldn't help staring at their cheerful patriarch. Finally Buttercup broke the awkward silence with a scowl.

"Alright, what's so great? We got out butts kicked yesterday! And we don't know how to beat the same stupid monster! Why are you so happy?!" The Professor stopped in mid-song and stared at the girls. Bubbles looked worried, Buttercup looked angry, and Blossom looked...distracted. The Professor frowned and sat his fork down. He wasn't sure how to describe his red-headed daughter's demeanor. He shook his head and smiled broadly.

"Well girls...I think I've come up with a way to help you!" All three snapped out of their own little worlds and shot out of their seats, staring at their father excitedly.

"Oh my gosh! Really? What is it?"

"Yeah! Tell us! Please, please, please?!"

"What did you find out Professor?!" The Professor chuckled and gently motioned for the girls to sit back down. Reluctantly the three returned to their seats, but still bouncing with excitement. The Professor cleared his throat and folded his hands on the table.

"Girls, I have decided that to solve this problem, we need to start at the source," The girls nodded.

"You mean Japan, right Professor?" The Professor nodded and sat up straight.

"That's right...that is why I have made the necessary calls to get an immediate flight to Japan this afternoon," The girls blinked and looked at each other. Bubbles slowly turned to the Professor, raising her hand. The Professor smiled.

"Yes, Bubbles?" Bubbles tapped her chin, glancing at her sisters, then back at the Professor.

"Um...can't we just fly to Japan for free?" The Professor shook his head, his confident mood replaced by a serious one. He sighed and leaned across the table, giving the girls a stern look.

"No, you three need to stay here. Townsville is completely vulnerable to anything and everything right now. Without you...it would be chaos,"

"But!" The Professor shook his head and held up one hand, halting any argument.

"No, this is my decision. I am going to go alone. As soon as I find what I need to, I will return and together we'll stop Aku," Bubbles stared at the table, terror spreading across her. Buttercup suddenly found the wall very interesting, clenching her fists tightly. Blossom covered her mouth and stared at her feet, faintly blushing.

"But how will we fight him without you, Professor? We...we can't..." Bubbles trailed off, her words lost in a sob. Blossom hugged Bubbles, glancing up at the Professor.

"You said Antidote-X won't really hurt him...what can we do?" The Professor swallowed and clutched his hands. He hadn't thought ahead that far. He was surely going to be gone for at least a few days...possibly a week or longer. He narrowed his eyes in newfound determination.

"I have faith in you girls. There is more Antidote-X, and you can use that to keep him at bay. Please, this is the only way," The sisters looked at each other, frowning. Emotions ran high, predominantly disappointment, hopelessness...and fear.

"Oh...okay...okay, we'll try. But you have to hurry!" Blossom said, keeping her eyes down. Bubbles sniffled and nodded, while Buttercup crossed her arms and gave a half-hearted frown.

"We believe in you Professor," The Professor smiled and wiped away the sweat on his forehead. He gently took their hands and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"Don't worry girls, we'll get through this. Now, go get ready for school while I get my things together. We'll call a babysitter before I leave," The girls nodded and flew off to their room. The Professor sighed and cleared the table, stopping to wipe the sweat from his eyes and check on the thermostat as he went. He tapped it a few times, before shrugging and starting on the dishes Strangely, the temperature read seventy degrees.


	6. First of the Evil Trials

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Less plot! More action! But first...some plot.**

**Chapter 5**

* * *

"Why can't we go in with you?" Bubbles asked in a watery voice. The girls floated next to the Professor, standing just outside the security gate at Townsville International Airport. The Professor sighed and gave his blonde daughter a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"It's a security regulation, Honey. Don't worry everything will be just fine," He said reassuringly. Bubbles nodded and sniffled, her hands clasped behind her back. Blossom put on a brave face and gave the Professor a confident smile.

"I'm sure you can figure out what to do Professor...we'll take care of Townsville while you're gone," She said, though her voice wavered toward the end. Buttercup nodded; she hadn't spoken a word since they left the house after the girls returned home from school. The Professor smiled and gave Blossom a hug and kiss, ruffling Buttercup's hair. The green puff looked up, frowned and looked down again.

"I know you will girls. Everything is going to be alright. You'll get through this just like every other enemy," He said, smiling sadly. Bubbles and Blossom nodded, but the Professor had his eyes on Buttercup, who was still staring at the ground several feet below her, "Buttercup...I need to go, Sweetie," Buttercup sighed and looked up, swallowing hard. The Professor gave her an extra tight hug, and whispered in her ear before kissing her.

"Take care of your sisters for me, alright?" Buttercup nodded and managed a small smirk. The Professor nodded and ruffled her hair one last time. He turned to the girls' babysitter, chuckling and giving her a sheepish grin.

"I'm so sorry to spring this on you, but I couldn't think of anyone else," He apologized. Ms. Keane giggled and shook her head.

"No Professor, it's alright. Your girls mean the world to me and I am honored you'd ask me to look after them," She admitted with a slight blush. The Professor chuckled, blushing himself. He set his bag down and stepped forward, giving Ms. Keane and awkward, but nonetheless meaningful hug.

"Thanks Cassandra, I don't know what I'd do without you," He whispered. Cassandra Keane blushed a little darker, giving the scientist a tight squeeze.

"It's nothing, James...I'm happy to," She whispered back. The girls watched the exchange with dreamy expressions. Bubbles giggled and blushed, remembering when the sisters had set the two up on a date a while back. Buttercup snickered and crossed her arms, smiling warmly for the first time that day. Blossom's smile faded to a distant blush. She looked down, gently rubbing her cheek.

"Well then, I'd better get going! You girls be good and don't give Ms. Keane too much trouble!" The Professor said sternly. The expression he wore was a misty-eyed half smile, too emotional to really be stern. The girls nodded and gave him one last hug, before he started the trek through airport security. Ms. Keane stood behind the girls, smiling and resting a comforting hand on Bubbles' back.

"Don't worry, he'll be back before you know it! Now why don't we decide what to do for supper, hm?" The girls smiled and nodded.

* * *

The wizard stood and watched the Powerpuff Girls say goodbye to their father figure. He stroked his beard and glanced away. They were without the samurai wannabe. Although they still seemed to be really from his bout with them, they were recovering. He could quite literally feel their awesome power. He narrowed his eyes, turning and staring at the one he assumed to be the eldest. The Red Child seemed different from her sisters when the scientist hugged the woman. Her face was red, and she seemed almost...wistful.

**"Just how powerful are you children? Hm..."** Aku grinned as he stalked the Pit of Hate. All around him, visions began to appear in the fire. The fire was filled with the the wickedness of Townsville. Countless crooks, monsters, villains, and most interesting of all: supervillains. Aku looked around at all of the abominations, narrowing his eyes and smirking on one.

**"This...creature is truly an interesting case. Perhaps it is strong enough to show me their true power?" **The sorcerer gently cupped the vision of a furry pink creature. His grin darkened, and his dark power began to flood the vision.

**"Ah! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Yes...you will serve me well..."**

* * *

"Yes, tighten this screw...no, no! That's wrong, incorrect, not right!" Mojo threw down his wrench and looked over his blueprints once again. He sighed and sat back in his rolling chair. His desk was filled with documents and printouts, every last available bit of information regarding Chemical X that he could find. Every past device, every planned device, every single theory was scattered over his work bench.

"All of my brilliance, all of my know how, it is useless, meaningless, and hopeless! How can I hope to contain a creature of such power?" Mojo sighed and got up, setting back to work on the machine. He blinked as a light bulb clicked on metaphorically. He grinned and threw the machine across the room.

"Wait! I've got it! Yes..." Mojo turned and spotted one of his worn down Robo Jojos in the corner. He cackled evilly and rushed over to it, patting the metal leg, "He took over my last robot...I need to build one that can contain him and use him as a fuel source! He drew power from my robot. Thus, I need to build a robot that draws power from Aku!" Mojo laughed and got to work, wiping the sweat from his forehead. A thin stream of smoke left the empty cockpit of the Robo Jojo.

* * *

A gentle Southern twang rang out through the Townsville forest. A strange hill-billy of a creature sat on his front porch, eyes closed and a serene smile across his face. He gently plucked the strings of his beloved banjo, playing a song he knew so well. Overhead fluffy white clouds gently blew through the blue sky. The leaves rustled with the calm wind, and the forest critters scampered around playfully...well away from the creature's front yard.

Fuzzy sighed and stopped playing, laying back in his chair. A dark shadow fell over his face. Fuzzy's eyes snapped open, wide and raging. He began to snarl and slowly stood up, his giant muscles rippling beneath his fur. He looked around, smoke coming from his nose as he searched for the trespasser.

"What in tarnation is goin' on here? Who's on mah properteh?!" Fuzzy bristled and spun around. His rage faded away, replaced by absolute terror. He whimpered and took several steps back as the great black shadow loomed over him. "Wh...what the..." Fuzzy swallowed and went limp. The shadow grinned, flaming eyes burning brighter. A dark hand reached out toward Fuzzy.

The silence of the forest was broken by a bloodcurdling scream.

* * *

It was a new day in Townsville. The children were hard at work at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten, starting work on a project done every year. Ms. Keane beamed and clapped her hands.

"It's my favorite time of the year students! We're going to begin working on a very special project called 'My Special Person'. Everyone is going to put together a research project about someone special to you. It can be your mom, your dad, a brother or sister, or even a friend. You'll need to put together some kind of 'visual aid' to help with your presentation to the class. Now, does everyone know what a 'visual aid' is?" Hands went up around the room, among them was Bubbles. Buttercup leaned on her hands, sighing and half listening to Ms. Keane. Blossom had tried listening...but her mind was very far away at the moment.

'What are we supposed to do if Aku attacks again? There's no way to beat him right now...nothing we can do at all!' She sighed and leaned back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling. She saw fiery eyes once more, and could almost feel hot breath on her face. Blossom blushed and looked down. Was that another power of his? Embarrassing her? Blossom blushed darker, and shook her head. That was stupid; obviously, she was just flustered from losing the fight. That was all...right? Blossom sighed and tilted her head.

"Blossom is something wrong?" Blossom blinked and looked up at Ms. Keane. The class was staring at her, most of them giggling. Blossom glanced at her sisters, who looked concerned. Blossom quickly shook her head and looked down.

"No...everything is fine, Ms Keane," She mumbled. Blossom frowned, even she wasn't convinced. Ms. Keane sighed and smiled, nodding to the class.

"Alright class, I'll let you get started. Think of someone very special to you! If you need any help, just raise your hand and I'll come to help you!" Ms. Keane said cheerfully. The class went straight to work, except for the girls. Bubbles and Buttercup were checking on Blossom, who still seemed distant and embarrassed.

"Blossom what's wrong?" Bubbles asked, leaning close and keeping her voice low. Blossom shook her head.

"Nothing...just thinking," She replied, looking up at Buttercup. Buttercup nodded and looked up. Ms. Keane came over to the girls and hunched down next to their desk.

"Is everything alright girls?" She asked, looking at Blossom specifically. Blossom nodded and faked a bright smile. Ms. Keane nodded and returned the smile, going to help the other students. Blossom sighed and looked up at the blackboard.

'My Special Person...' Blossom put her mitt to her chin and thought deeply. Who was her special person? As she thought, her cheeks began to heat up. She could almost hear the flames flickering. Blossom swallowed and rubbed her cheek. The Hotline began buzzing, interrupting the low roar in the classroom. Blossom snapped out of her daze and flew over to the Hotline.

"...Yes Mr. Mayor?...Uh huh...oh...r-right! Right...we'll be right there!" Blossom swallowed hard and set the phone down. She took a deep breath and turned around, putting on a brave face.

"Girls, the Mayor s-said that there is a black monster attacking the town!" Her voice cracked at the end and Blossom slouched miserably. Bubbles and Buttercup froze, the color draining from their faces. Blossom swallowed and pointed out at the town, "C'mon...l-let's roll!" Blossom flew through the window. Bubbles and Buttercup looked at each other and nodded, following after their sister. Bubbles whimpered and looked at Buttercup nervously as they flew.

"B-Buttercup...I...I don't wanna go," She whispered. Buttercup turned and looked at her, the two slowly coming to a halt. Buttercup sighed and crossed her arms, looking away. She swallowed nervously and nodded.

"Yeah, I don't either. We don't stand a chance against that Aku jerk. But, we have to...I bet Blossom knows what to do, right?" Buttercup grabbed Bubbles' hand and smiled. Bubbles smiled and nodded, wiping her eyes.

"Uh huh...Blossom will figure it out...let's go!" Bubbles cried, with a confident smile. Buttercup smirked and nodded, pulling Bubbles toward the commotion. While they flew, their smiles slowly faded into nervous frowns. They arrived in the center of town and stopped next to their red-haired sister. Blossom was staring, her eyes narrowed, at a bulky, black creature at the other end of the street. It's massive hands clenched and unclenched, and a pair of dangling antennas bounced in front of its face. Buttercup leaned forward, and then glanced back at Blossom.

"That's not Aku..." Blossom shook her head, wincing in what almost looked like...disappointment? She put her hands on her hips and floated down to the ground.

"That's far enough, monster!" She called. The monster spun around, snarling and staring them down with glowing red eyes. Bubbles floated down next to Blossom and gasped.

"Blossom...that's...that's Fuzzy Lumpkins!" Bubbles exclaimed. Blossom and Buttercup nodded, getting ready to battle. Fuzzy was snarling and foaming at the mouth, practically howling in a rage.

"Yeah, I think Aku did this...this isn't going to be easy girls," Blossom muttered. Bubbles nodded and raised her fists, ready to fight.

"Do you...do you think we can win?" Bubbles asked nervously. Blossom bit her lip and looked down. She sighed and looked at Buttercup, nodding.

"I think we can handle this...just don't go easy on him," She whispered. Buttercup smirked at Fuzzy and took a step forward, thrusting out her mitt at the monster.

"C'mon, Fuzzy! Let's do this!" Fuzzy howled and charged at the Powerpuff Girls. Buttercup dodged the first strike, watching in amazement when Fuzzy's claws tore through the street, throwing rubble and debris every where. Buttercup lunged forward and punched Fuzzy with all of her might. The enhanced Lumpkin snarled and slammed her into the ground with a quick slam. Bubbles and Blossom gasped, charging at Fuzzy.

"Buttercup!" The girls attacked the monster head on, but were quickly knocked away just as easily as their sister had been. Buttercup groaned and climbed out of the ground, stumbling around. She looked up at Fuzzy, who turned on her with murder in his eyes. Buttercup swallowed and took a step back, dodging the wild spit and drool coming from Fuzzy's lips. She swallowed and looked around. Her sisters were up and watching. Blossom's eyes were scanning wildly, she was planning something.

"Uh...a l-little help here girls..." Buttercup took another step back. Fuzzy took a step toward her, his foot smashing into the ground. Fuzzy lifted his arm, his muscles so tensed that the veins were visibly pulsing beneath his skin. He howled and swung at Buttercup. The green puff flew forward, going between Fuzzy's legs and jumped up kicking him in the back. Fuzzy tumbled forward, smashing the ground once more. He spun around and charged at Buttercup.

"Bubbles, Sonic Screwdriver!" Bubbles and Blossom flew toward Fuzzy at full speed. As they went, they linked arms and began spinning around, becoming a swirling tornado of pink and blue. They both began to scream, a super sonic yell that wrapped around the tornado. Rocks were flung away and a loud crack shattered nearby windows when the drill head slammed into Fuzzy's chest. Fuzzy lost his breath, driven back so hard his feet dug trenches in the pavement. He yelped as he was thrown into the air. Bubbles and Blossom flew apart, landing in dizzy heaps on the ground.

"Ooh...my head is spinning...make it stop..." Bubbles moaned, sitting up and holding the offending body part. She stuck her tongue out and fell backward, rubbing her stomach. Blossom pushed herself up off the ground and gasped. She shook her head and turned to look around.

"We so have to practice that more..." She mumbled. Buttercup laughed and helped her sisters to their feet. She grinned and steadied them.

"Nice one! I haven't seen that one before!" Blossom nodded, rubbing her stomach.

"We don't like it..." She complained. Bubbles swallowed and wiped her mouth.

"It's not fun..." The blue puff whined. Buttercup shook her head and put her hands on her hips.

"Hey, at least it looks like you beat him..." She trailed off when the ground began to quake. A black fist knocked over a mailbox. Fuzzy stalked the street, every step smashing the ground. His mouth hanged open, his long fangs glistening in the light. He roared low, clenching his fists and causing his muscles to bulge even more. Blossom sighed.

"This doesn't look good..." She groaned, standing up straight and wiping the dirt from her cheeks. Fuzzy crept closer, every step causing a small tremor.

* * *

The Dark Master, Aku, sat in silence. He didn't even blink as he watched the battle between the Powerpuff Girls and that pink creature he'd found. The creature had been strong before he found it, but infused with Aku's own dark power it had become a veritable juggernaut. But it was an expendable creature. Aku narrowed his eyes and wore a wicked smirk. He'd never intended for the beast to win the fight.

As he'd imagined...in top fighting form, their power was unbelievable.

* * *

Fuzzy smashed his fists through the ground, panting and stumbling with every harsh breath. The girls flew overhead, battered and bruised, but for the most part faring better than their opposition. The problem lay in figuring out just how to take him down. The Lumpkin was relentless.

"What's the plan? What haven't we tried?" Buttercup asked, keeping her eyes glued on the monster staring up at them. He hunkered down and dark steam began to rise up from his skin. A tactic he'd used earlier, instantly all of his wounds faded away. Blossom sighed and clenched her fists, looking at her sisters. She turned back to Fuzzy and nodded, putting her mitt to her chin.

"If he can heal himself like that then we need to take him out in one swoop...let's try the Cosmic Cannonball!" Bubbles and Buttercup narrowed their eyes and nodded. The three shot straight up, beyond the sky. Fuzzy snarled and finally remember how to speak.

"Argh! Git back here! Get back here!" He screamed and stomped his feet, swung his arms around in a fury. He howled and threw over a parked car. The raging Lumpkin tore a street lamp from the ground and began to smash it into everything in sight. Panting and snarling, he heard a strange whistling sound. Fuzzy dropped the lamp and looked up in a rage. His rage disappeared instantly, replaced by a wide-eyed look of horror.

"Oh..." The flaming black sphere of energy came crashing down through the sky, colliding with Fuzzy in a spray of subatomic energy. The collision released a shockwave that took out the power across the entire city. The light faded, revealing the Powerpuff Girls floating over a defeated Fuzzy Lumpkins. They stared in awe, waiting for him to get up, to recover and fight back. Fuzzy rolled over and moaned, but didn't wake up. The girls grinned and began to celebrate, trading hugs, high fives and shouts of praise.

"That was great! We did it! We beat him!" Buttercup shouted, pumping her fist. Bubbles giggled and Blossom grinned, looking down at Fuzzy. Her face fell, as black smoke began to rise up from their defeated foe. It kept rising up until Fuzzy was returned to normal.

"G-Girls..." She whispered. Bubbles and Buttercup looked up, staring in horror at the black cloud of smog. A pair of flaming eyes and a green face appeared in the smog. They slowly floated to the ground. Bubbles grabbed Blossom's arm, shaking all the way to her bones. Buttercup stood somewhat in front of the other two, trying to appear brave, but failing and looking just as scared. Blossom stared in awe. She licked her lips and stared in confusion. She felt strange and fluttery. The demon seemed to have looked directly at her the moment he appeared. Blossom found that she couldn't look away.

**"Ah! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Very good, Powerpuff Girls! You have proven yourselves to Aku by passing your first test!"** The girls gasped and looked down at Fuzzy then back at Aku. Buttercup gulped and held out an accusatory mitt, one lacking in confidence or courage.

"W...Who do you think y-you are?" Aku grinned as the smog began to fade away.

**"Even greater challenges await you! Show Aku your true power! Ah! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" **Aku faded away, his laugh lingering after his smog was gone. The girls stared at the spot where he'd once been. The city grew eerily silent. Blossom half-closed her eyes, confusion overtaking her. Why wouldn't her heart stop beating so hard?

* * *

The Professor sat, cramped between two vastly larger travelers. He sighed and shifted uncomfortably, trying to get a glimpse out the window. He had no such luck and settled back in his seat. He took a deep breath and slouched, staring down at his lap. The trip wasn't even close to finished. He carefully reached into his pocket, smiling apologetically at his neighbor when, by accident, he elbowed her in the side. The massive woman huffed and turned away, returning to her copy of Sky Mall. The Professor frowned and looked at the photo he'd taken out. A photo of the girls at Christmas. He smiled sadly and looked up.

'Don't worry girls...I'll figure this out. I know this is the only solution, the only way. I won't let you down,' The plane rocked, hitting a brief turbulence. The Professor choked down his lunch and looked around nervously. He sighed and returned to the magazine he had been reading before. Every so often his gaze drifted to the picture of his precious angels.


	7. Mechanized Nightmare of Evil

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Upward swing of depression hitting! OH NO! IT'S ANOTHER FIGHT SCENE!**

**Chapter 6**

* * *

Evening in Townsville was a peaceful, relaxing time for the frantic citizens to lay back and recover for the next hectic day. Things were no different at the Utonium household, where Ms. Keane and the Powerpuff Girls with their homework. The four sat around the table, hard at work, the girls trying hard to get done before TV Puppet Pals came on.

Buttercup was pressing her mental faculties to their limit, glaring at her math homework. She looked up at Ms. Keane; the teacher smiled and rubbed her back, leaning down to look at the paper.

"Alright, let's see how you're doing...very good Buttercup! Let's look at the next one," Buttercup nodded and sighed, staring at the problem. Next to Buttercup, Bubbles was eagerly working on the poster for her Special Person project. She hummed and sang to herself, meticulously coloring and designing what, she felt, would be the greatest poster of all time. She beamed happily and held up the poster.

"Ms. Keane! Ms. Keane! How does my poster look?" She asked eagerly. Ms. Keane looked up and smiled brightly.

"Oh my! That looks wonderful, Bubbles! Who is your Special Person?" Bubbles put her poster down and went back to coloring it.

"I think it's gonna be the Professor, cause he's our dad and he's really important!" Her voice escalated in excitement towards the end. Ms. Keane giggled and nodded.

"Well that's a very good choice...oh are you done Buttercup?" Buttercup stared at her paper and licked her lips.

"Uh, I think so," Ms. Keane nodded and patted her on the back.

"Very good, I think it's about time for your show to start girls!" She said in a sing-song voice. Bubbles and Buttercup grinned wildly and quickly cleaned up the table before rushing to the living room. Blossom still sat at the table, staring at a sheet of paper. Ms. Keane looked over her shoulder. It was her notes on the Special Person project. In the living room, the theme song for TV Puppet Pals could be heard clearly.

"Blossom! It's starting!" Bubbles cried out. Ms. Keane sat down next to Blossom, who hadn't heard Bubbles. She carefully touched her shoulder. Blossom snapped out of her daze and looked up. Ms. Keane looked concerned. Blossom looked back down at her paper, narrowing her eyes.

"What's wrong Blossom? You seem so distant lately," She asked in a soothing tone. Blossom shook her head and looked up. She moved her mouth like she was going to say something, but then looked back down at the paper.

"I'm alright...I think...I guess?" Blossom shook her head, looking up at the clock. She stood up in her chair and smiled sheepishly, "Oh wow...look it's time for Puppet Pals! I should um...should go," Blossom quickly flew out of the room. Ms. Keane watched her go and sighed, looking back down at the paper Blossom had been staring at. She picked it up and read it over. In the center there was a question written:

'Who is My Special Person?' Ms. Keane read to herself, wiping a thin bead of sweat from her forehead. She sat the paper back down before heading to the living room. 'There's something more going on here...' She thought, putting on a smile as she sat down with the girls. Whatever it was could wait. Right now...she was enjoying the dream too much to ponder reality.

* * *

**"So the children proved more powerful than I'd even imagined..."**

The Townsville Police Department churned with the late night workings of law enforcement. The building was actually quite empty, save for a few lowly crooks locked behind bars and the nightly dispatchers remaining markedly bored. Behind several locked doors and down a flight of stairs lay the evidence room, where any confiscated weapons and contraband were kept safe. Deeper still, beyond a steel door locked with every manner of security guard possible, was the Supervillain Evidence Room. It was in this room that the Townsville Police Force kept the confiscated items of the city's native brand of costumed villainy.

**"Perhaps in these carefully guarded walls, I will find a more suitable opponent for these Powerpuff Girls,"**

By far, the most prominent weapon in the facility was a massive robot, whose back had been completely shattered. It was made of shining duranium, slightly dulled by the rain and debris of combat. Aside from the gaping hole in its back, the robot was excellent condition. The lights in the room flickered and exploded. A thick, tangible darkness began to flood the room. A pair of fiery eyes opened and a wicked grin spread across the owner's face.

**"Ah...yes. This is an appropriate test, a proper opponent for those girls! It just needs repaired..." **Aku smirked and dark tendrils extended from his flowing, shadowy form. The darkness flooded into the robot's destroyed back and infected its lifeless power cells. More tendrils took metal from around the room and forged it into a new plate to patch up the robot's one injury.

**"Ah! Ha! Ha! Ha! Yes! An enemy you've not yet bested! This second trial will definitely reveal your limitations!"** The robot's cockpit suddenly blackened. A whirring sound filled the evidence room, as the robot began to come to life.

* * *

The next day began slowly. The sun crept over the horizon slowly, the birds were slow to begin singing, even the wind blew across the town at a lazy pace. At the home of the Powerpuff Girls, even the town's favorite heroes were having a difficult time getting started that morning. Rather, one third of the famous trio was having difficulties with waking up.

Blossom laid in bed, eyes open and a pillow pulled over her face. It had been four days since they first fought Aku. Every time she slept since then she saw the same terrifying dream. Even now she could remember his red eyes perfectly. She could still hear his eyebrows blazing in the rain. She could still feel his tongue quickly, lightly brushing against her cheek. Blossom pulled the pillow tighter over her face, blushing furiously.

"Blossom! It's time to wake up Sweetie, we need to leave soon!" Ms. Keane's cheerful voice pierced the general silence in the room. Blossom remained unmoving. Still staring into the darkness...

'Is the darkness staring back?' She mused. Blossom sighed and pushed her pillow away, sitting up and finally looking around the room. Her eyes fell on the clock and she gasped, flying into action immediately.

"Oh no! Oh no! I'm so far behind! I can't be late! Oh gosh!" The three, now in Ms. Keane's care, needed to leave even earlier than usual to make sure they got to school before the rest of the class. As she flew around the room in a flurry, the door creaked open and Ms. Keane peered in. She smiled and waited in the door way. Blossom came to a halt in front of her, a panicked look on her face.

"Ms. Keane! I'm so sorry, I won't be late tomorrow I promise!" Ms. Keane giggled and walked downstairs with her, shaking her head.

"It's alright Blossom, our schedule isn't that tight," Blossom sighed and sat down at the table, quickly eating her breakfast while her sisters finished packing their backpacks. She finished in record time and right at their appointed time to leave, was ready and floating alongside her sisters. The four journeyed in relative silence to school, listening to the very low sound of Ms. Keane's favorite CD. Bubbles noticed that Blossom seemed uneasy, and leaned over to her.

"It's okay Blossom, Ms. Keane isn't mad," She whispered. Blossom nodded and gave Bubbles a reassuring smile.

"I know," She whispered back. Bubbles smiled and giggled.

"So what were you dreaming about?" Blossom's cheeks turned bright pink, and her attention quickly turned to the road passing by outside. Bubbles blinked in confusion. Blossom's expression was familiar, she just couldn't place how.

"Here we are girls! Would you like to help me get the classroom ready?" Ms. Keane asked as they poured out of the car.

"Yeah!" The girls chorused. Bubbles quickly forgot about Blossom's strange behavior. Blossom; however, hadn't forgotten her question.

* * *

The Townsville Police Department was working at full force. Granted, the day was, thus far, the slowest they could remember having. By noon, there hadn't been so much as a pickpocketing or a gas station robbery. There weren't even cases of littering or jaywalking. So for the local authorities, the day became an endless cycle of playing catchup on paperwork.

One officer was stuck with the wonderful task of taking inventory of the evidence rooms. So, with clipboard in hand, he stalked through the basement, ensuring that nothing was missing and nothing was present that shouldn't be. As he neared the door to the Supervillain Evidence Room, he stopped in his tracks. There was a loud whirring sound coming from the other side of the door. The officer stared in shock.

"That doesn't sound right..." As he reached for the door, it was suddenly shot out, crushing him beneath it. The officer groaned, struggling to push off the massive steel door. Had he been able to breathe, he'd have held his breath, when the room began to shake with massive footsteps. The officer screamed when an explosion rocked the entire station.

* * *

The day had dragged, even slower than the morning had. It seemed like she spent the whole day staring at the phone. Daring it to ring? Maybe...begging it to ring? When the Hotline finally did ring, Blossom was at it in record time. She licked her lips and took a deep breath.

"What's the trouble Mr. Mayor?" The trouble was one the girls had become accustomed to. Townsville was under attack from a giant robot, "Right, we'll get on it," Blossom hanged the phone and turned to her sisters. With a nod in unison, a glance at their teacher, and a nod of approval, the Powerpuff Girls were gone off into Townsville.

Next to giant monsters, giant robots were the most common enemy the girls faced. And every time, there was an evil monkey behind the wheel. A long lost bastard brother who desperately sought to destroy them. They fought, he lost. Oh they were hurt, every time they suffered extensive injuries. But every time they came out on top. Every time they overcame his plots. Every time it was Mojo Jojo.

This wasn't every time.

"Oh no...he got to that Robo Jojo..." Blossom whispered. The girls stopped before the Ultimate Fighting Robo Jojo Mach 27.13. It slowly turned to face them, moving with almost human flexibility.

"What?! Mojo is trying that thing again? Great...we couldn't even beat it last time!" Buttercup shouted, glaring at the Robo Jojo. Bubbles gulped, but put on a brave face. They could beat Mojo Jojo.

"That's not Mojo..." Blossom muttered, just loud enough for her sisters to hear.

"What?" They turned to her, then slowly followed her mitt, looking at the pitch black cockpit of the Robo Jojo. Bubbles and Buttercup slowly looked back at Blossom, who was staring with narrowed eyes. Still her mouth twitched.

"S-So that's Aku too?" Bubbles asked. Blossom nodded and licked her lips. The Robo Jojo began to whir, stalking toward them. The Powerpuff Girls got ready. A robot they hadn't been able to defeat, stripped of the supervillain they were used to defeating, and now powered by an enemy they hadn't even been able to hurt.

"Okay...it can absorb our energy attacks and it's made of duranium, so we can't break it..." Blossom whispered. The robot charged at them, electrical sparks crackling across its metal armor. Buttercup elbowed Blossom, glaring at her.

"Are you just going to say the bad stuff or tell us how to beat it!" Blossom swallowed and floated back.

"Scatter and let's try an Ultrasonic Scream!" The girls flew away from the robot's initial charge, also swerving and spiraling to avoid its following attacks. The robot spun around and extended its eight metallic tentacles, swiping and stabbing at the frantic Powerpuffs. The girls joined in the air and all began to scream, the combined force of the three Sonic Screams creating an earthquake in Townsville. The robot 's tentacles all began spinning wildly, generating a field of energy around the robot that negated their attack.

"Drat! That didn't work! Alright, wait for a new opening and try a Starburst Ray on the back of its knees!" The girls flew back into a defensive pattern. The robot began to spontaneously launch missiles from the hundred of silos on its body, while swiping at the girls with its arms and tentacles. It walked through the streets at a sedate pace, an electronic pulse field keeping any of the girls' weaker attacks—their heat rays, ice breath, and any other minor energy blasts—from even getting near it. The girls finally found their opening and swooped down behind the robot.

"Now! Starburst Ray!" The girls each held out a hand, firing a single ray of energy. The three rays converged and erupted in a pulsing wave of glittering light. The energy slammed into the back of the robot's knee, and was quickly absorbed into it.

"No! It can absorb energy from anywhere?!" Blossom cried, floating back with her sisters. The robot turned, its chest cavity opening and revealing a shining cannon. The robot fired out a wave of energy, so powerful it knocked itself back a few steps. The girls dodged the attack, but Buttercup was caught on the outer edge. The energy wave tore across her back, sending her spiraling down writhing in pain.

"Buttercup!" Bubbles and Blossom cried, staring in horror. Their sister struggled to get up, slowly climbing to her feet just in time to dodge the robot's massive foot.

"Bubbles distract it!" Blossom flew down, desperate to make up for abandoning Buttercup in their fight with Aku. She snatched her sister and pulled her away from a volley of missiles. Above, Bubbles proceeded to fly around the robot, blasting the missiles out of the air with her heat rays, and occasionally trying to blast the robot itself. Dodging its swipes and tentacles proved too much, and Bubbles was forced into a permanent defensive.

"Buttercup! Are you alright? You're bleeding!" Buttercup groaned and stood up, doubling over and leaning against Blossom. Her back was badly burnt and cut, the backside of her dress was torn wide open. It was a wonder she could even stand. Blossom held her sister steady. Buttercup shook her head.

"I'm fine...c'mon we gotta help Bubbles, right?" She started to fly into the air, but it was obvious she wouldn't be able to keep up. Blossom flew up with her, putting an arm around her shoulders and helping her back into the fray. Bubbles screamed when a tentacle lashed out and slapped her through the sky. She managed to halt herself, just when her sisters finally joined her.

"Bubbles! You okay?" Buttercup winced out. Bubbles nodded, gasping and covering her mouth when she saw Buttercup's injury.

"Buttercup! You can't fight like that!" Buttercup growled and shook her head.

"I'm fine...what's the plan Leader Girl?" Blossom stared at the oncoming robot. Her eyes flashed back and forth, scanning every possible detail of its design. Her gaze stopped on the cockpit. She nodded and let go of Buttercup. The green puff faltered momentarily, but managed to keep herself afloat.

"We're going to attack the cockpit, it doesn't look like it's made of duranium and it's possible it can't absorb our powers too...we just have to get close," Buttercup laughed and floated upright, puffing out her chest.

"No problem, I'm fast enough to get by this rust bucket," She hissed and doubled over, new blood dripping down her back. Bubbles flew around Blossom, grabbing Buttercup's arm.

"No, you can't keep fighting! You'll just hurt yourself more!" Blossom kept her eyes on the now advancing robot. It fired a volley of missiles toward them, as its tentacles all went rigid and pointed at them. The tips began to sparkle. Blossom grit her teeth.

"Girls get down!" Blossom glanced to the side. Bubbles and Buttercup were still arguing. Looking back, Blossom gasped and quickly tackled her sisters, knocking all three of them out of the air. The missiles exploded across town, while the tentacles fired thin lasers that swept through the streets. Blossom looked up and narrowed her eyes.

"You two stay down here," Bubbles and Buttercup looked at her like she was crazy.

"What?!" Buttercup screamed.

"You can't beat it by yourself Blossom!" Bubbles whispered, staring up from their hiding spot. Blossom stood up and floated into the air.

"Buttercup can't fight and you need to make sure she doesn't get hurt. I'll be fine, don't worry!" Without waiting for further argument, Blossom flew back into the fray. She sprayed her heat rays through the sky, taking out the next volley of missiles. Without stopping she zipped around and in between the lasers fired by the tentacles. She looped around and flew higher into the air, diving bombing down at the robot. Whisking in and out of lasers, tentacles and missiles, Blossom reached the cockpit and slammed her fist against it with all her might. She rocketed off and tumbled through the sky. Blazing pain shot through her arm. Ironically, the same arm that was injured in the first battle with the same robot.

"Ow! No way! I can't punch through that glass?! Oh no..." Blossom screamed and flew down faster. The robot proceeded to fire duranium saw blades from its chest, blades that sliced through everything in their path. Blossom came to a halt and stared up a the mechanical monster. She looked around and found her sisters, still safe where she'd left them. The pink puff nodded and flew back into the fight.

"She's crazy! She needs out help! Ugh!" Buttercup fell to her knees after trying to get up too fast. Bubbles pulled her back into hiding, wiping her eyes and watching Blossom.

"I know but...but I can't let you get hurt more! Sh-She told us to stay here!" Buttercup growled and pushed Bubbles away, sitting up. Had she the strength, she'd have openly defied Blossom's orders. That was her job, afterall, to ignore Blossom when she was being stupid or selfish. Buttercup winced and leaned against Bubbles. Right now, she wasn't sure which it was, stupid or selfish. Buttercup looked up when Bubbles screamed. Blossom was falling to the ground; she hit and smashed through a manhole cover. The sisters screamed.

"No Blossom!" Buttercup cried, jumping to her feet and ignoring the searing pain. Bubbles got to her feet and stared up at the robot, now coming toward them.

"Blossom! Please be okay! B-Buttercup we have to help!" Buttercup and Bubbles flew into the air, the former using all of her willpower to stay in motion. The robot's full assault fell on them. Buttercup and Bubbles put their mitts together and fired out beams of their signature color, creating a vastly smaller version of the Mega Blast.

"I hope this works!"

"Me too!" The glittering blue and green sphere of light exploded and showered energy on the Robo Jojo. It began to absorb the energy. All of its other attacks came to an abrupt halt. It sparked as the energy built up inside it. Bubbles and Buttercup hovered, staring helplessly at the robot's chest cannon, glittering brightly.

The ground exploded and a streak of pink light flew out and crashed into the robot's back. The robot stumbled forward, jerking wildly around. Its arms flailed haphazardly, the tentacles writhed as if a seizure was rocking the robot's body. Bolts of electrical energy began to crackle around it, sparking along its skin and pouring from its every joint. The cannon in the chest suddenly exploded and the robot tumbled over, going down in a shower of sparks and fire.

When the fireworks finally died down, Bubbles and Buttercup flew down. The remains began to shift around, and a mitt broke through the shrapnel. Blossom sat up, panting and badly cut up, but still alive. She smiled and looked up at her sisters with a weak laugh.

"Hey...sorry I...was late..." Blossom sighed and fell back against the metal. She cringed and threw a sharp piece out from beneath her. "Ow...that hurts..." Buttercup and Bubbles stared in shock, then laughed. At first giggles, but then hysterical peals of laughter. Blossom smiled and closed her eyes, sighing. She cracked them open, watching black smoke began to rise up from the robot. Bubbles and Buttercup hadn't noticed...she was glad they didn't. A pair of evil burning eyes appeared in the smoke and locked with hers. Blossom blushed. The smoke faded away, and Blossom gasped when she heard a voice whisper.

**"Congratulations, Red Child, you've passed the second trial,"**

* * *

Aku watched with a devious, almost proud grin. The Red Child had seen the robot's weak spot, the place where Aku himself had escaped from within it. A patch of regular metal that had covered the hole in its back. He watched as she broke inside and rubbed her hands together. His grin grew wider while watching the lightning pouring from her hands and shorting out the robot's power cells. He narrowed his eyes and walked toward the vision.

The other two hadn't noticed him, but she had. He stared into her eyes. They were tired and afraid...but also something else. Her face turned pink when she saw him. It looked...like she was trying not to smile. Aku felt he was resisting the same urge. Lowering his voice, he projected it to her and her alone. She gasped when she heard him.

**"Congratulations, Red Child, you've passed the second trial,"** The vision cleared, but Aku kept staring at that spot. The robot had almost proved too much for the Powerpuff Girls to beat. Much like the creature from the day before. But in a pinch...the Red Child had found a solution, she'd seen a weakness where one shouldn't exist. He stroked his goatee, walking to the other end of the Pit of Hate.

**"They are formidable opponents...but this one, she is something more..."** In the flames of the Pit of Hate, he could see her face. Strange, he mused...he wasn't conjuring a vision.


	8. Bane of Evil

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: WARNING! The fight in this chapter is very, very brutal. Seriously, I feel sick writing it. Humiliation, torture, the whole nine yards. I'm going to be slow updating, so I'm going to go ahead and upload this one.  
**

**Chapter 7**

* * *

"I'm glad your flight was safe...we—they already miss you so much. Please try to hurry back,"

"I'll do my best Cassandra...there's just so many questions to answer, so many mysteries to solve, so much chaos to make sense of...I'll be home as soon as I possibly can,"

"I know you will, James. You've always been a very dependable friend. I hope you don't mind me calling after putting them to bed, they were just so tired,"

"Oh? What happened? The town is still standing, right?"

"Of course! Have a little faith in your girls! They just had to battle a very powerful robot. Buttercup and Blossom were hurt very badly; Bubbles had to carry them back to class,"

"Are they alright? Should...should I come back?"

"No! James, you're already there, just leave them to me. I'll make sure they're cared for...you know that I love them,"

"Yes...yes I know Cassandra,"

"I want you to be safe, James. Despite...complications, I still care for you very, very much..."

"...I will Cassandra. You too, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you got hurt in this mess,"

"I'll be fine. It's late James, I need to get some rest before class tomorrow,"

"Yes, I'm sorry for keeping you. Good night Cassandra, sleep well,"

"Thank you James, good night,"

* * *

"Welcome back, Miss Morebucks...how was prison?" Princess glared at the butler who cringed and quickly faced forward. His mistress stalked through the mansion, glaring at everything that moved, and nearly everything that didn't. She clenched her fists and grit her teeth, growing angrier and angrier in the time it took to finally reach her room. Princess slammed the massive door and sat on the end of her bed, resting her cheeks on her hands. In position, she glared at the far wall.

"Stupid Powerpuff Girls..." She finally whispered, a venomous hiss that could have set the still air of her bedroom on fire. Princess knotted her fists and clenched her jaw. Steam practically rose from her head. With a sharp intake, she screamed and fell back on her bed.

"It's not fair! All of my weapons are gone now!" She pounded her fists on the bed and huffed. She should have never shown them to her secret lab. Princess sighed and rolled over onto her stomach. With her weapons gone and her financial circuit severely neutered by her last imprisonment, she didn't have much hope of getting revenge on the Powerpuff Girls. Princess narrowed her eyes and stared at her royal purple comforter.

"Stupid Bubbles...stupid Buttercup...stupid Blossom! You always ruin everything!" Princess screamed again and climbed to her feet, pacing her room while muttering violently.

"Stupid Know-it-All Goody Goody...beat my super armor...made me get hit by that stupid gun of Mojo's...tricked me into giving back the city...made the Rowdyruff Losers destroy my weapons...its all her fault! It's always her fault! Those other two PoopooPuff Girls are easy! She's the one who always beats me! I hate her! I hate her!" Princess stomped her feet and seethed. She sniffed the air, hearing a crackling sound. Something was burning. Princess turned and looked at her mirror. She screamed.

**"Human Child, you say you hate the Powerpuff Girls and wish to destroy them? Come, speak with Aku!" **Princess swallowed and walked, trembling toward her mirror. The demon in the reflection gave a predatory grin. Princess stood up straight and cleared her throat.

"Who...Who are you? How did you...how did you get in here?!" Her authoritative tone was completely lost when she once more met the gaze of the monster. Aku chuckled and looked down on her.

**"I am the Master of Masters, the Deliverer of Darkness, the Shogun of Sorrow, I am Aku,"** Princess took a step back as Aku grew and became even more monstrous in the reflection. She gasped, recognizing him.

"You...you're that guy that was on the news...you, you beat the Powerpuff Girls!" Aku nodded, taking on a solemn look. Princess looked around, then quickly looked up with an evil grin, "So you...you want to help me beat the Powerpuff Girls? I'll do it! Name your price!" She was taken aback when Aku laughed.

**"Ah! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Your worldly treasures mean nothing to Aku! You shall be blessed with unimaginable power, and in return you must offer two things to the great Aku," **Princess nodded, pressing her hands against the mirror.

"Anything! Anything! Just give me the power!" Aku took on a solemn expression once more. He stretched out his hand, flexing his clawed fingers.

**"You will build a monument to Aku, of the finest and rarest materials on this Earth. And it shall rise in to the sky so that it may be seen for miles!"** Princess rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Yeah, yeah! I get it, what else? What else?!" Aku narrowed his eyes into dangerous slits. He almost hesitated. Something felt wrong, but at the same time he felt a certain rush. A painful wrenching sensation in his chest that was offset by a sudden exhilaration.

**"You will use this power to destroy the Red Child," **Aku's reflection faded away, being replaced by a reflection of Blossom. Princess snarled and clenched her fists.

"I'll do it..."

* * *

"Good morning girls, how do you feel today?" Ms. Keane sat on the edge of the girls' bed, gently patting Buttercup's knee. The girls sat up, yawning, stretching, and groaning as their tired bodies adjusted to the morning. Buttercup ruffled her messy hair and sighed, looking up with squinted eyes.

"Better I guess...my back doesn't hurt any more," Ms. Keane beamed and clapped her hands together.

"That's wonderful! How do you feel Blossom? It looks like your cuts are all gone," She pointed out, looking over the little girl's bare arms. Blossom nodded, smiling at the teacher turned guardian.

"Yeah I feel a lot better," Bubbles suddenly hugged Blossom and gave her a big kiss on the cheek. Blossom giggled and looked at her in confusion. "What was that for?" Bubbles giggled sheepishly and shrugged.

"I just...wanted to say thanks for yesterday. If it weren't for you we'd have lost..." She admitted. Blossom blushed and looked at her other sister. Buttercup sighed and slouched, glancing over at Blossom.

"Yeah you saved our butts...thanks Red," Blossom rubbed her head, blushing more.

"Oh come on you guys...it was all of us," She mumbled, looking up at Ms. Keane. Their guardian just smiled and stood up.

"Well all that matters is you three saved the whole city! I am very proud of you, and so is the Professor," The girls suddenly lit up, flying into the air next to their teacher.

"Did you talk to him?" Bubbles asked eagerly. Blossom and Buttercup stared up with hopeful eyes. Ms. Keane nodded and giggled when the girls' excitement tripled.

"How is he?"

"What's Japan like?"

"Does he miss us?"

"We miss him! Did you tell him?" The three followed Ms. Keane out the door, still asking excited questions. Cassandra Keane did her best to answer them, but even with her experience it was hard to keep up with their childish enthusiasm.

* * *

The day was just beginning for the students of Pokey Oaks Kindergarten. The sun was still rising, birds were still singing praises to the start of a new day. Ms. Keane sat at her desk with a small smile, silently taking roll call while the students worked on a coloring activity. The Powerpuff Girls were quietly coloring, mostly recovered from the previous day's battle. This day's trial intended to waste no time.

The door creaked open. Gasps echoed around the room, which quickly fell into a deathly silence. Tiny footsteps stalked across the floor with the sound of electricity crackling in the cool classroom air. A shadow fell over the Powerpuff Girls' table. Slowly the three girls looked up. Their eyes widened at the sight before them.

"Well...how do you like it?" Princess said, arrogance dripping from her tone. The girls continued staring. Aku had gotten to her as well. That much was painfully obvious.

"Prin...Princess, what have you done?" Blossom finally managed to say, frowning and rising to her feet. Princess growled and grabbed her shoulder, shoving the puff back down. All three tensed up, ready to fight. Princess walked away, toward the middle of the room, speaking with the same condescending tone. A tone that gave her an air of being untouchable.

"It seems someone pretty powerful doesn't like you. So he gave me this armor, and all I have to do is kill you!" Princess slowly turned and stuck out her finger, pointing directly at Blossom. The three sisters jumped up.

"What?! Kill us? Do you have any idea who that guy is?!" Buttercup shouted, glaring at Princess. The rich girl returned the look with one of even greater intensity. She clenched her fists and energy crackled around her.

"I know who he said he was. I know he gave me this armor! And all I have to do in return is fulfill my dream! I'll finally crush you, you stupid, goody goody, smarty pants, egotistical, brat!" Bubbles slowly looked over at Blossom, who was staring at the villain with hardened eyes.

"Blossom...is she talking about you?" Bubbles asked in a low whisper. Blossom nodded and stood up straight, locking eyes with Princess. Princess glared back, her entire body shaking with hatred and rage.

"This is just between me and you! No one else! I am sick and tired of you ruining everything I try! You won't let me be a Powerpuff Girl! You always ruin my evil plans! You! You! You! I hate you! I hate you!" Buttercup snorted and started to float into the air.

"Well tough, kid, we're going to..." Buttercup trailed off when Blossom floated over the table and landed in front of Princess. There was no more than two feet between them.

"It's alright Buttercup, I'll handle her," Blossom said. Even the sound of her voice sent Princess into a fury. So strong and confident. She wasn't afraid at all. Blossom put her hands on her hips, she hadn't blinked the entire time. "Let's take this outside," Princess sneered and flew through the roof. Blossom looked up and watched her go. Buttercup and Bubbles flew over to her side.

"Blossom what are you doing? This is just what she wants!" Blossom looked away, rubbing her arm. She cleared her throat and started to float into the air.

"I know...but...I'm going to do it. You two just...keep the rest of the town safe. This might get ugly," Her sisters nodded reluctantly. Blossom gave them a gracious smile before flying off to find her rival.

* * *

Blossom landed on the outskirts of town. Her opponent stood across from her, arms crossed and eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. Blossom stood up straight, chest out, eyes determined. The energy around Princess crackled more dangerously.

Her latest armor, one given to her by Aku himself, appeared to be a more demonic version of her first Super Suit. Where the original suit was gold, this suit was coal black, with blades rising up from the shoulders. Curved, smaller blades extended from her elbows and knees, while wings shaped like a bat came from her back. Metal wings, with purple undersides and long bladed tips. Her forearms were bulkier, in an unnatural way. The points of her tiara rose up higher, with the spikes curving backward slightly at the tip. There was a ruby in the center of the tiara. No guard covered her face, allowing full visibility of her black eyes.

"Well, Blossom, I hope you said your goodbyes," Blossom kept her mouth shut, still unblinking. Princess ground her teeth and screamed as more energy sparkled around her.

"Stop doing that! Stop ignoring me! I will make you bow to me! I will break you!" Her threat went unanswered again. Princess huffed and stood up right. "Fine, let's get this started. I'm dying to her you beg!" Princess held out her hand and the ruby on her tiara began glowing. Blossom's eyes suddenly widened. A gargantuan shockwave of energy shot from Princess' open palm, tearing a trench in the ground where Blossom previously was.

Princess collided with Blossom, twisting her fist around in the puffs midsection. She grinned and punched her away, knocking Blossom through a few rocks and into a lake. Blossom pulled herself out and spit out a stream of water. She charged out, gasping when Princess flew up in front of her, kneeing her in the face. She thrust out her hand and fired another blast, this one catching Blossom in the side and sending her spiraling through the air. Blossom landed on her hands and knees, digging holes in the ground. She looked up at Princess who began to laugh.

"Is that it!? You can't even keep up with me?! This is going to be even better than I had ever dreamed!" Princess sneered and charged again. This time she was caught off guard. Blossom's fist collided with her face, knocking her off course and into the ground. Princess jumped up, snarling and charged back at the Powerpuff. The fight was on for real this time.

Princess' fists flew at supersonic speeds, and it was all Blossom could do to simply avoid the attacks. Where she could, she would block or parry an attack, but she quickly found that her enemy's strength was unreal. Already bruises were forming on her arms from simply blocking a punch. Blossom narrowed her eyes and stood her ground, trying to take the offensive.

Princess grinned and ducked and dodged around all of Blossom's attacks. The Powerpuff threw punches harder and faster, huffing and puffing from exertion. Princess stopped and snatched one of Blossom's fists, pulling it forward and pulling the red-head from her stance. Blossom stumbled into Princess, looking up at her in horror.

"You can't do a thing to me...you're the weak little brat this time!" Princess smashed Blossom in the face, holding her arm and refusing to let her go. She bludgeoned the helpless puff over and over again, like a speed bag. Blossom tried throwing another punch, but her fist was caught just as easily as before. Princess' grin darkened as the ruby on her tiara began glowing. Blossom's scream rang out across town, a beam of pure energy driving her through the air. She smashed into a wall, hanging in the imprint she left behind.

'Wow..." She gasped out. Blossom hissed and grit her teeth, "I knew she'd be strong but...gosh...' Blossom fell forward, catching herself and hovering painfully. She froze when she felt breath on her neck. She straightened up and swallowed. Behind her, Princess grinned wickedly.

"I don't hear screaming yet..." Blossom grit her teeth harder when an arm locked around her neck and claws began digging into her back. Below, people had come out into the streets, watching in a mixed sense of curiosity and excitement. Blossom clenched her jaw and screwed her eyes shut. The searing pain grew hotter and hotter. She could smell her dress burning...and her skin.

"Still no screaming..." Blossom whimpered and clenched her fists. She took swings backward, missing every time. She kicked backward, but her pitiful attacks didn't even phase her attacker. She felt her eyes watering, and clenched them tighter trying to hold back the tears. Blood started to drip down from the sky. Princess' claws dug into Blossom's back, the energy coming from her hand burning through the puff's skin.

"Scream for me! Scream! Scream!!" Blossom's mouth fell open and she took in a harsh breath. Tears streamed down her beat red face. Blossom grabbed at Princess' arm and kicked her legs frantically. The pain started to trail higher up her back. The grip on her neck tightened. Blossom's breathing stopped entirely. Princess growled and rammed her clawed fingers into Blossom's back. The pain exploded, and Blossom's eyes opened and she began screaming. An earthshattering, heartbreaking scream. Blossom shook her head, screaming and crying, kicking her legs and pounding on Princess' arm.

"That's it! Scream! Beg for mercy! Beg me to stop!" Princess shoved Blossom forward, grabbing her hair before the puff could fall away. She swung her around and slammed her into the building behind them again and again until the wall crumbled. Princess threw Blossom down, flying after her.

"Ugh!" Blossom hit the ground painfully and struggled to climb to her feet. Princess landed on her back, knocking the wind out of her. She grabbed Blossom's head and smashed it into the pavement, grinding her face against the street. The citizens of Townsville stood on the sidelines, watching with gaping mouths. Princess pulled Blossom up, lifting her into the air by her tangled red hair.

"Is this it?! You're no match for me, Blossom! You're a loser! You can't beat me this time!" Princess punched Blossom in the stomach, giggling maniacally when the puff threw up. She pulled her back up and punched her again. Everyone just stood by watching while Princess continued to punish her rival. The heinous little rich girl threw the superheroine down, grinned and stalking toward her with a primal glint in her eyes.

"You still haven't begged me. I want to hear it!" Blossom started to climb to her feet. Princess growled and blasted her in the back. Blossom gasped and fell forward, landing on her bloody hands and knees. Princess marched up to her and unceremoniously kicked her in the backside. Blossom yelped and tumbled over.

"Beg me for mercy! Why won't you listen to me!? Don't you want it to be over?!" Blossom cried silently as she slowly stood up. She rubbed her eyes and glared at Princess, catching her breath. Princess snarled and clenched her fists. "Haven't had enough? You want me to really humiliate you?! Fine! I will! You'll wish you never met me!" Blossom brought her fists up, wiping the blood and vomit from her mouth. Princess just growled and charged at the pink puff. Blossom ducked the initial attack and came up with a strong uppercut. Princess coughed and flew up into the air. Blossom flew up and unleashed a volley of punches and kicks, knocking Princess around. Princess came to a complete halt and grabbed Blossom's fists, slowly crushing them in her own. Blossom hissed and locked eyes with her.

"That didn't even hurt! But I promise this will!" Princess pulled Blossom forward and kneed Blossom in the stomach. She grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled it over her head, punching her into the ground. Before Blossom could completely recover, Princess fell down on her and held her down, punching her face repeatedly.

"Beg me! Just beg me already!" Blossom blasted Princess away with her heat rays and stood up. Her dress was torn, barely hanging on her. Her bow was gone and her hair was hanging in a tangled mess around her face. Princess flew down and stood, nose to nose, with Blossom. Blossom struggled to stand up straight. Princess grinned deviously. A look of confusion spread across Blossom's face. Blossom screamed hysterically when Princess viciously grabbed her nipples and twisted them with all her might. She shoved Blossom to the ground and held her there, giggling wildly.

"What's wrong?! Why don't you make me stop? Huh? Come on Powerpuff Girl!" Blossom tried throwing wild punches through a haze of excruciating pain and tears. Princess just took the hits without flinching, thoroughly enjoying her arch-nemesis' anguish. Princess yanked Blossom to her feet and spun her around to face the audience that surrounded them. She pulled the heroine's arms up tightly behind her, holding her head back by her hair. Princess laughed and presented the battered hero to the city.

"Everyone look! It's Blossom! Weak, stupid and beaten! Look at her bawling like a baby!" Blossom kept her eyes clenched shut. Her dress was all but gone, with her underwear and badly bruised body visible to the people. Blossom whimpered, tears streaming down her face. Princess growled and pulled her hair harder.

"Open your eyes! Look at them! They all look so sad...so ashamed," Blossom hissed and slowly opened her eyes, scanning the crowd weakly. Inside, her heart was pounding like never before. Princess pulled her arms up tighter until she managed to work a scream out of the Powerpuff Girl. Blossom tried pulling away, but Princess' grip was unbreakable. Princess whispered wickedly in Blossom's ear.

"Say I'm better than you, say it out loud so they can all hear you! Beg me for mercy, scream it at the top of your lungs!" Blossom grit her teeth, struggling once again trying to pull away. Princess snarled and tightened her grip on Blossom's arms.

"Fine! Be that way...you're going to regret it! You know what happens when you get shocked, Blossom?" Blossom swallowed and tensed up. The ruby on Princess' tiara began glowing and electricity began to shoot through her armor and into Blossom. Blossom shivered violently, holding back the initial scream. The intensity increased until finally Blossom was screaming. Princess held her, turning up the electrical current as high as her armor allowed. She grinned as Blossom began shuddering uncontrollably between screams.

'No...no...no, please no...' Blossom thought furiously. She could feel her body losing control, and could feel her insides loosening up. The electrical current cut off as she felt a furious rush of moisture flowing down her legs. She hanged her head in shame, crying as she continued wetting herself. Princess cackled and grinned at the people of Townsville.

"Look at that! Mature little Blossom just wet herself! You're pathetic! And once you're gone, your sisters will be easy! They're useless without you!" She laughed wildly and shoved Blossom away. Blossom stayed where she landed, on her knees in a puddle of urine. She stared, wide eyed at the street. Princess continued laughing behind her. Blossom screwed her eyes shut and lowered her head. Her heart began racing, her blood began pumping furiously. Her face was red hot. She slowly rose to her feet, shivering as the breeze hit her, trembling as fury wracked her bones.

"What's wrong? Are you ready to admit that I'm better than you? Are you ready to admit you can't beat me?!" Princess began stalking toward Blossom, who carefully turned around. She narrowed her eyes and ground her teeth together. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She'd seen Bubbles and Buttercup in the crowd. They were embarrassed for her. Blossom clenched her fists. They were ashamed for her. Blossom locked eyes with Princess, and relaxed completely. Princess gaped. It was almost like Blossom had become another person. She seemed to almost be glowing. The look in her eyes...Princess recognized it. She'd seen it before, when they fought one-on-one.

"No...no you can't look at me like that! Not this time! You can't keep up with me! You can't overpower me! You can't beat me!" Blossom just continued glaring, not even blinking as the tears rolled down her cheeks. Princess held her breath, rage overwhelming her better reason. She shot forward and threw a wicked punch, with all of her strength. She stared in horror at the result.

Blossom caught Princess' fist and slowly pulled it to the side, identical to the way Princess' caught her fist earlier. Princess opened and closed her mouth, trying to find her voice. When she did, it came out weaker than she ever expected.

"You...have you...were you even trying?" Blossom narrowed her eyes and spoke her first words of the fight.

"I am now," Blossom pulled Princess forward and punched her across the face. A loud crack echoed across the city and a black blur smashed through several buildings. A pink streak followed it through the air, leaving behind a crater in the ground where she'd stood previously. Blossom met Princess in the air and threw a flurry of punches and kicks at the devious rich girl. Princess bucked and yelped and gasped with every blow. Her armor crackled and sizzled every time one of Blossom's iron fists collided with it. The puff leader slammed her fist into Princess' midsection and glared into her eyes. The two hovered nose-to-nose. Princess had no reply.

Princess fired rays of energy from both hands, trying to drive Blossom back. The puff crossed her arms over her face and endured the attack. She grit her teeth and drew back, releasing her heat rays at the fullest extent of their power. Princess screamed when the lasers washed over her. Bubbles and Buttercup watched in amazement. The energy rays tore through the tops of buildings, released a shockwave that shattered every window for miles, and were so ostentatiously massive, odds were they could be seen from space.

A pink streak could barely be seen through the aftermath of the heat rays. Dancing around a black streak and flying through the skies at hypersonic speeds. Princess threw a punch, only to have it dodged and returned tenfold. She fired an energy ray, only to have a burst of electricity completely knock her out of the sky. Princess hit the ground hard, kicking up a dirt storm. She stayed on her hands and knees struggling to catch her breath. Blossom came flying down, landing feet first on her back, crushing her armor. The armor began to sizzle and spark. Blossom jumped off and kicked Princess in the face, shattering her tiara and knocking her back into a warehouse, knocking it to the ground.

Princess flew out, hysterical and struggling to keep her own power in control. She looked up and screamed, seeing Blossom floating in front of her with her arms crossed over her chest. Her hair was drenched with blood and hanging over her face. She was nearly naked, floating in just a pair of soaked panties and stockings—she was missing one shoe. Still somehow, Princess was absolutely horrified.

"You...you can't beat me...this power...this power was to...to beat you..." Blossom marched through the rubble, slowly and proudly. She hadn't blinked since catching Princess' fist. Princess began to hyperventilate, looking around for a way to escape. Trying to find some power that could overcome the vengeful titan now approaching.

"You still don't get it..." Blossom whispered. Princess looked up in horror. A fist collided with her face, knocking her into blackness. Blossom stared down at her. Despite the beating she'd taken, she stood up straight and breathed evenly, "You'll never beat me..." She said clear as day. The armor began to melt into a black smoke. The city fell silent as the onlookers swarmed the two. The black smoke was gone before they arrived.

* * *

Aku stared into the vision, unable to breath. His mouth hanged open in awe. His chest was pounding, a senseless rush of exhilaration overwhelming him. His minion had failed, utterly failed, to even break the Red Child. She'd done something else entirely. She'd awakened a side of the Red Child that Aku himself hadn't even dreamed existed. He sat back in his throne, staring at Blossom's frozen image. He finally closed his mouth and licked his lips.

**"No mortal has so completely thwarted my evil, except for the Samurai. He was a powerful opponent, trained in every manner of combat imaginable. A mighty and wise warrior with an endless array of skill and strategy. And he had that magic sword, made by the forces of righteousness themselves to destroy me..." **Aku stared at the image of Blossom. Her skin seemed almost glowing, she seemed almost overflowing with power. He, the greatest of all evils, trembled.

**"But this child...she possesses something far greater...and I, the immortal and invincible Aku...am afraid..."**


	9. Evil Opens a New Door

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Things are going to start getting more complicated here. Multiple storylines, how I love thee. Also warning, the Rowdyruff Boys are in this one? To any and all weaboos and Japanese readers: I know 100% nothing about Japan. Just bear with me for the Professor's scenes.**

**Chapter 8**

* * *

The Professor sat alone in the hotel room, watching the video over and over. Every time, he felt his stomach growing weaker. He'd seen his daughters suffer beatings before, but this was just a whole new level. He closed his laptop and shook his head, sighing in defeat.

"I should have been there...no, no I have to see this through. They're depending on me," Without Aku's power, Princess would have never been able to do so much damage to Blossom. The Professor stood off the bed and walked to the window, looking out at the city. It was around nine in the morning, the day was already in full swing. Still, he felt sluggish; he hadn't been able to find sleep the night before.

"Blossom...be careful, honey," He glanced back at his laptop then looked back out at the horizon. He was proud of her...she'd taken a beating that no child should ever take. She'd been humiliated and strung out before the entire city. And even then, she hadn't given Princess what she wanted. The Professor lowered his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I know you meant well...and I know this isn't the first time. But Blossom...we've discussed this," He was tempted to call Ms. Keane and tell her where the bracelets were. Had it been Bubbles or Buttercup, he would have. But he trusted Blossom's control. She knew better. That didn't mean he couldn't worry.

"As powerful as Aku is...they just...might have to break all the rules. God I hope not...please, let me be fast enough. The last thing I want is for them..." He trailed off, unable to even think about the consequences. He knew the risks, so did the girls. They were smart...they were responsible. They'd do the right thing.

* * *

Ms. Keane knelt next to the bathtub, gently rubbing Blossom's back. The little girl sat with her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped tightly around them. She hadn't spoken so much as a word since defeating Princess. Her sisters were worried; Ms. Keane was even more worried. The fight had definitely taken a physical toll on her, but other than a redness on her chest and singed scars on her back, Blossom was in good condition. What truly worried the teacher was the psychological damage. Blossom sniffled quietly, lowering her head.

"Blossom...will you talk to me?" Blossom just shook her head. Ms. Keane wet the rag again and tenderly washed the scars on her back. Blossom tensed, clenching her eyes shut and shuddering. Ms. Keane sighed and put her arm around the puff.

"Please...let's talk about this Blossom," Blossom let out a shaky sigh and looked up. Ms. Keane swallowed and lightly rubbed her arm. Tears were gently rolling down Blossom's cheeks. Blossom lowered her eyes and held herself tighter.

"...I don't want to go to school tomorrow..." She finally managed to whisper. Ms. Keane stared in shock. The one sentence she'd never expected to hear from Blossom of all children. She bit her lip and resumed lightly washing her again.

"Why Blossom? You love school," Blossom shook her head, her lips quivering and more tears falling down.

"I don't want anyone to see me again..." Now they were getting somewhere. The teacher shook her head and turned Blossom's face up to her.

"Why not?" Blossom opened and closed her mouth, staring into Ms. Keane's eyes. She took the hint from the gentle pressure on her shoulder and laid her head against the teacher's chest.

"Everyone is going to make fun of me...I...everyone saw me without my dress on...and...and I wet myself..." Ms. Keane shook her head and hugged her tighter.

"Blossom that wasn't your fault...no one is going to make fun of you," She cooed. Blossom shook her head and looked up. She quickly looked back down, sniffling.

"But..." Ms. Keane ran her fingers through Blossom's hair, slowly smiling and sighing.

"No...Blossom what you did today was one of the strongest things I have ever seen. The things she did to you were horrible...but you didn't give her the satisfaction she wanted. And you even beat her! I have never been more proud of you," Blossom blushed and swallowed.

"R-Really?" Ms. Keane nodded and gave Blossom a kiss on the cheek.

"Really. I have never seen you like that before. It was...amazing," Blossom quickly looked away, shaking her head.

"No I shouldn't have done it, it was really bad. Really, really bad. Please don't tell the Professor!" Ms. Keane blinked and sat back on her heels. She cocked her head in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Blossom shuddered and smoothed her hair. She quickly wrapped her arms around her still red chest. Ms. Keane frowned; she could already tell that was going to be an issue. Blossom seemed to be deep in thought. She sighed and looked up.

"Um...well...we're not supposed to talk about it...but you're different. I can tell you, right?" Ms. Keane nodded, leaning against the edge of the tub. Blossom nodded and licked her lips, "Well...after we beat Mojo...you know...that first time? The Professor made the Danger Grid to um...to test our powers. He wanted to find out just how strong we were," Blossom sighed and rolled her head back. As she began to tell the story, Blossom could picture that day like it happened yesterday.

* * *

"So did you get the results Professor?" Blossom asked, all three of the sisters practically jumping with excitement. The night before, they had run a hundred or so tests to decipher the limit of the girls full power. The Professor had spent the rest of the night in the lab working on the results. He spun around in his chair and looked down at the girls with a serious expression. The girls' excitement dwindled.

"What's wrong Professor?" Bubbles asked nervously. The Professor knelt down to their level, pipe in his mouth. He sighed and took the pipe out. He gave the girls the bravest smile he could muster.

"Well I do have the results of your testing. You girls...your power is unbelievable," The girls puffed up, grinning and blushing. Buttercup crossed her arms and chuckled.

"Yeah, well we knew that! Tell us more!" The Professor laughed and nodded, getting out a sheet of paper with the results. He chuckled and shook his head, sitting back down in his chair. The girls flew up on either side of him, grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, from the results of the different tests...Buttercup, you are the fastest," Buttercup threw her fists up, whooping. Bubbles and Blossom glared at her. Buttercup snickered and stuck her tongue out at her sisters. Professor laughed and shook his head, giving Buttercup a wry grin.

"Interestingly...Bubbles and Blossom are both stronger than you," Buttercup's grin fell and she stared in horror at her sisters. Bubbles giggled and Blossom grinned smugly at her. Buttercup's face got red and she quickly looked away. The Professor chuckled and looked at Blossom and Bubbles, "Blossom, you were the strongest. Bubbles; however, has the strongest heat rays...I'll just leave this list for you to look over," The Professor sat the list down and sighed, getting up and walking back to his work bench. While the girls argued over the results, the Professor took out three bracelets and walked back to the girls.

"Girls...please calm down. There is something very important we need to discuss," The girls stopped arguing and floated back to the ground. The Professor knelt down next to them and secured a bracelet on each of their left wrist. The girls stared at the bracelets in confusion.

"Professor what are these?" Blossom asked, tapping the accessory. The Professor flipped a switch on each one and suddenly the girls felt nauseous. Bubbles sat down and held her stomach, Buttercup and Blossom leaned against each other, sticking their tongues out.

"I don't feel so good..." Bubbles whimpered. Buttercup nodded and Blossom looked up at the Professor. She swallowed and stood up straight, staring at the bracelet again. Looking closely, she could see orange fluid swirling around her wrist.

"What do these do Professor? It feels like...there's a hand pushing down on me..." Bubbles and Buttercup both nodded. The Professor sat down and put his pipe back in his mouth.

"Girls...yesterday when I saw your powers at their strongest...I have to admit that I was very afraid," The girls stared back in confusion. The Professor just waved his hand and kept talking, "Your power girls...it's just obscenely unreal. There is no...legitimate use for that kind of power," The Professor sighed and looked down at them, leaning on his knees.

"These bracelets are designed to restrict your power to a very low amount. Roughly seven percent of what you're fully capable of at the absolutely most," The girls still seemed confused.

"But what if we have to fight someone like Mojo again! What if there's a really strong bad guy we can't beat?!" Buttercup cried, staring at the bracelet. Blossom frowned, still watching the orange fluid swirl around. It was Antidote-X, she reasoned. Bubbles stood up, holding onto Blossom's arm for balance. The Professor shook his head.

"Girls...you will never, ever find an enemy that requires all of your power. There is never a time you'll need to be able to break the speed of light or punch a planet in half," He chuckled, but even though they were five days old, the girls knew it was a fake laugh. He shook his head and sighed, "Just promise me, never ever use any more power than those bracelets will let you use," The girls nodded.

"We promise,"

* * *

"I...I broke the rule...I used more..." Ms. Keane frowned. She vaguely remembered the bracelets, but she never knew what they were for.

"What do you mean Blossom? I noticed you girls don't wear those bracelets anymore..." Blossom nodded and sighed. She tilted her head back and forth.

"We stopped wearing them because we didn't need them anymore. It was a psychological conditioning technique. We got to where we forgot we could get stronger than what the bracelet's would let us. So there was no need to wear them anymore...except..." Blossom trailed off, staring at the soapy bath water. Ms. Keane remained silent, though she had an idea she knew where Blossom was going. Blossom sighed and turned back to Ms. Keane.

"Except I lied...I can't remember how to use all of it...but I...I can break the ceiling Bubbles and Buttercup are stuck under..." Ms. Keane nodded, lightly trickling water over Blossom's back. She smiled, noticing that Blossom seemed more relaxed. Ms. Keane figured there would never be a better time to ask.

"Blossom...you said the bracelets prevented you girls from using more than...seven percent? How much...would you say you were using against Princess?" Blossom closed her eyes, tightening her hold on herself.

"...You promise you won't tell?" Ms. Keane nodded, trying to find her voice. She was terrified to know just how high the number would be. In all her years living in Townsville, she had never seen so much power in such a short span of time.

"Y-Yes, I promise. This is just between us," She whispered. Blossom looked around, her eyes glowing slightly. She was probably using her X-Ray vision to make sure no one was spying. It was kind of cute, really. Blossom nodded and took a deep breath. Ms. Keane took a deep breath, staring with wide eyes.

"I think it was about...twelve percent," Ms. Keane blinked, her mouth falling open. She licked her lips, struggling to find her voice. Ms. Keane trembled. Blossom looked up, feeling the shudder and getting nervous. "Ms. Keane?" The kindergarten teacher shook her head, laughing wearily.

"Twelve...Twelve percent?" Blossom nodded. Ms. Keane looked up at the ceiling.

_"You...have you...were you even trying?" Blossom narrowed her eyes and spoke her first words of the fight._

_"I am now," Blossom pulled Princess forward and punched her across the face. A loud crack echoed across the city and a black blur smashed through several buildings. _

The teacher laughed and drained the water from the tub. Ms. Keane wrapped Blossom in a fuzzy pink towel and held her tightly. The little girl seemed hesitant, but eventually folded into the older woman's arms. The two entered the adjoining bedroom, Ms. Keane wiped the sweat from her brow. Blossom noticed Octi sitting on the blue stripe of the bedspread, with his typical vapid expression staring at them. The pair sat down on the bed. Ms. Keane held Blossom tightly, amazed that the little girl could feel so weak and dependent in her arms.

"Blossom..." Blossom peaked up at Ms. Keane. Ms. Keane looked down at her adorable pink eyes. She smoothed her long red hair and hugged her just a little tighter.

_The energy rays tore through the tops of buildings, released a shockwave that shattered every window for miles, and were so ostentatiously massive, odds were they could be seen from space. _

"Blossom it's all right...you don't have to be strong all the time," Blossom swallowed hard and looked down, snuggling more into Ms. Keane's embrace. The words slowly sank in and a high, soft whimper broke the silence of the bedroom. The teacher rocked her gently as the hero cried.

* * *

Aku sat in his throne, watching the vision of Blossom and Ms. Keane. For reasons he couldn't understand, he felt uneasy seeing the little girl cry. He clenched his fists and sat up straight. The feeling was suffocating. He growled, staring at the vision. He wanted to feel enraged that the girl had defeated all three of his trials. But as he watched the tears fall down her cheeks and listened to the strangled sound of her cries, he felt his rage withering.

**"This Red Child has thwarted all of my plans...yet I feel unwell seeing her suffering..." **His rage he felt renewed...and directed toward his own minion. The master of darkness took a deep breath and laced his fingers together. He had heard the Red Child's explanation of her power. He was intrigued beyond all reason. What he had seen was only a fraction of her full might.

**"This elusive full power you possess, Red Child...what will it take to see such strength?" **Aku lowered his head. The vision still hadn't faded. The image of Blossom crying in Ms. Keane's arms. The image of Blossom, naked and standing over Princess. The image of Blossom, defeated with blood trickling down her cheek. The image of Blossom, uneasily moaning in her sleep. Aku opened his eyes and stared into the fires of the Pit of Hate.

Just who was the Red Child? He had to know more...

* * *

Earlier that day, as the fight between the Aku-Powered Princess and Blossom dwindled down to just brutal torture, among those watching the action were three of the girls worst enemies.

"This is the best thing ever!" The Rowdyruff Boys laughed and cheered in the distance, cringing and snickering when Princess held Blossom down by her nipples.

"Oh man! That's brutal!" They quite literally cheered when the electrical shock caused the puff to wet herself in plain sight of everyone. It was simply the greatest show the boys had ever seen.

"Aw man! That stupid rich girl is awesome!" Brick said with a laugh, slapping his knees. Butch laughed, tongue hanging out, and watched excitedly.

"Yeah man! Awesome!" Boomer's snickers slowly died off. He swallowed hard, getting the first look as Blossom stood up, trembling with rage. He gasped when the rage faded and became a look of calm resolution. It took a few moments to realize he had stopped breathing.

"H-Hey...hey guys..." The other boys stopped laughing and looked up. They too, suffered the same lapse in mental function. The fight suddenly turned from hilarious to terrifying. Butch slowly pushed his tongue back into his mouth. Brick's mouth fell open. In unison the three remembered how to breath.

"Oh my God..." The Rowdyruff Boys turned away when the fight ended and just stood helplessly. Brick swallowed and glared at his brothers.

"W-What are you sissies scared about?" Butch and Boomer looked at Brick. Without missing a beat, Boomer turned and pointed to where Blossom was standing over Princess.

"H...Her!" Butch looked at Blossom and swallowed hard. He looked back at Brick, voicing the question they were all thinking.

"Uh...are...are all of those girls that strong?" Brick and Boomer swallowed. Brick crossed his arms and looked away, refusing to admit out loud that the pink girl was stronger. That said, whether he admitted it or not, there was no denying it. At that moment, the boys realized they didn't stand a chance against those girls. While the boys pondered their situation, they never noticed a dark shadow falling over them. Boomer looked up, his eyes widening.

"Uh...guys..." The boys looked up at the grinning face hovering over them. Dark hands reached out, and the boys screamed.

**"This is an unexpected turn of events. You will serve Aku's purposes well,"**


	10. Obsessions of Evil

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Let the games begin. I'd like to preface this chapter by saying I don't remember what is taught in Kindergarten. But based on certain episodes, it seems like the Pokey Oaks students are being taught at least basic multiplication/division.**

**Chapter 9**

* * *

Bubbles and Buttercup flew into class just minutes before it was time to start. The Utonium crew was running a bit behind, largely due to insecurities on the part of the last third of their triumvirate. The sisters sat at their typical table, watching the door curiously. Robin Schneider, their best friend, leaned over when—after a few moments—no one else entered.

"Hey girls! Is Blossom okay?" Buttercup leaned closer to Robin. She was about to whisper, but became aware of just how many people were looking at her. Buttercup sighed and sat up.

"Yeah she's not hurt...she should be in soon..." There was a simultaneous sigh of relief through the classroom. The questions started pouring in, faster than Bubbles and Buttercup could respond to. Buttercup sighed and narrowed her eyes.

"SHUT UP!" Everyone in the room fell silent. Buttercup beamed at Bubbles, who giggled in response. Robin snickered and opened her mouth to speak, but right at that moment Ms. Keane walked in with Blossom. Every eye in the room turned toward the front of the room. Blossom froze and quickly lowered her eyes, staring at the floor shamefully. She hesitated, but started to open her mouth. That was when the kids in the room started clapping, which was in turned join by cheering.

Blossom turned dark red and slowly smiled, giggling sheepishly. Blossom looked up and looked at her classmates. She slowly began hovering to her seat, grinning brightly by the time she sat down.

"You're awesome!" Blossom looked up with an incredulous smile at Mitch, who flashed her a thumbs up. She looked at her sisters and laughed gratefully. Ms. Keane smiled brightly at the front of the room, clapping her hands as the cheering died down.

"That's very nice of you all! We are all very proud of Blossom, but we also have a lot to learn today! Let's get started," Ms. Keane turned around and began writing on the board. Blossom opened her notebook, glancing to the side. Robin waved and also flashed her a thumbs up. Blossom smiled and waved her mitt. Almost instantly her fears and insecurities were gone. Blossom suddenly felt overwhelmingly happy.

"Now before..." Ms. Keane trailed off, hearing an incessant knocking at the door. Something about it seemed eerily familiar. "Just one moment class," The teacher approached the door while the students began talking. For some strange reason, she felt an odd sense of trepidation just reaching for the door knob. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Slowly she snatched the door and carefully turned it, pulling the door open.

"Good Morning Ms. Keane," Ms. Keane's expression fell and she tried as hard as she could to avoid groaning out loud. There, on the other end of the doorway, was the gray trenchcoat clad truant officer, Jack Wednesday. The officer didn't look any happier about seeing Ms. Keane than she was to see him. He cleared his throat and put his hands in his pockets.

"Good Morning...Mr. Wednesday...to what do I owe the, um, pleasure?" The officer kept his distance, looking down at the teacher's hands to assure she wasn't in possession of a dodge ball or any other method of bludgeoning him behind his back. Seeing that she was unarmed, he cleared his throat once more and stood up straight.

"To what do you owe the pleasure? I'll tell you. I come to you with new students, students in need of an education. The education they are in need of is one that only you can provide. Were this under different circumstances, I would take them to a juvenile correctional institute instead, but there would be no way of ensuring that they would remain there. You; however, are in possession of the necessary tool to keep them under control. What is that tool you ask? It's not so much a tool as it is a group of people. That group of people being the Powerpuff Girls," Ms. Keane blinked and tried to look around Officer Wednesday to see who he was talking about.

"Um...who would that..." Officer Wednesday, true to form, cut her off.

"Who have I brought to you in need of your educational services? You'll see shortly enough, believe you me. That said I have to say you that this will be the greatest challenge in your educational career. If that is what you wish to call your chosen path in life. Take care of them, and be careful," Jack turned and walked away. Ms. Keane glared fiercely at him as he retreated.

"Hey! Lady!" The teacher froze in horror and slowly looked down, spotting her new students. Her horror-struck expression slowly became a sheepish smile. She laughed nervously.

"Oh well...hello boys...I guess you're...you're the new students...huh?" The boys grinned and the one in the lead crossed his arms.

"Yeah! We're here to learn, so teach us!" Ms. Keane giggled nervously again and led the boys inside. She swallowed hard and lightly clapped her hands. The class looked up with bright, cheerful smiles. Ms. Keane began sweating and laughed nervously again.

"W...Well class, it seems like we have new students today. So I would um...I would like you to uh...please give a warm welcome to...to..." The boys walked in and stood in front of the class. Everyone in the room gasped and the Powerpuff Girls jumped to their feet.

"No way!" Blossom exclaimed.

"Not them!" Buttercup shouted.

"The Rowdyruff Boys?!" Bubbles cried. The boys grinned and crossed their arms. Ms. Keane swallowed and sighed. She calmly motioned for the girls to sit back down. The girls stared at her in shock, but heeded the warning and took their seats.

"These are the Rowdyruff Boys...I'd like you to meet Boomer," Boomer laughed absentmindedly and waved.

"Hi everyone!" Ms. Keane smiled nervously.

"Um...and Butch," Butch stood at the front of the room, twitching and bouncing hyper actively. Ms. Keane sighed and scratched the back of her neck.

"And...Brick," Brick chuckled and waved, an arrogant smirk on his face.

"Wassup?" The class stared in horror at the boys. Ms. Keane gestured for the boys to take a seat. Every eye followed them as the boys sat down. The Powerpuff Girls, in particular, kept a careful watch on the boys. Ms. Keane turned around and faced the chalkboard. It was going to be one of those days, she could just tell. She sighed and returned to the lesson.

"Like I was saying before..."

* * *

Shockingly, the Rowdyruff Boys had proved only a minor distraction to the class. The bulk of that distraction came in the form of a paralyzing fear that they were on the verge of attacking everyone. But by the time the students got to their math time, the boys had avoided getting into trouble. For the most part, they'd stayed quiet.

'What in the world happened to them?' Blossom thought, once again peering at her villainous counterpart. Brick happened to glance back at her. Blossom quickly blushed and faced the front of the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Brick laughing and became more flustered. Thankfully, it was time for math, one of her favorite subjects—ignoring that nearly every subject was her favorite.

"Now we're just going to do some review problems today. It seems a lot of you struggled with our last test, and I wouldn't feel comfortable moving on until you're all ready," The class as a whole groaned, except for Blossom who just beamed. Review was her time to shine. She sat up straight and got her pencil ready. To her side, she noticed Buttercup rolling her eyes, and her Bubbles giggle in agreement. Blossom flushed and narrowed her eyes, but kept her gaze forward. They could tease her enthusiasm all they wanted. They were just jealous, she thought with a smirk.

"First, let's try something easy. Two times two, does anyone know the answer?" Like always, Blossom's hand shot up excitedly. Ms. Keane noticed, giving Blossom the usual subtle smile. The teacher tapped her lip, waiting for more hands to go up. She sighed, putting her hands on her hips.

"Now class, remember what we've discussed. Someone other than Blossom has to participate. Does anyone else have an answer?" Looks were traded, and steadily a few hands went up. Ms. Keane swelled with pride, pointing towards a student near the back, "Yes, Michael? Can you tell me what two times two is?" The student swallowed nervously and looked down at his paper, biting his lip.

"I think it's four, Ms. Keane," Ms. Keane nodded and wrote the answer on the board.

"Very good, Michael! Now does everyone know how he got that? We have two sets of the number two. That is the same as two plus two, which is four," The class nodded, most taking notes. Buttercup was paying extra attention; the green puff was tired of her sisters teasing her for her bad grades in math. At the Rowdyruff Boys table, none of the three seemed terribly interested. Blossom glared at them, growing increasingly angry as they mocked and joked quietly amongst themselves.

Her irritation was abated when, finally, Ms. Keane asked a question that stumped the rest of the class. After several tense moments of no activity, Blossom's hand shot into the air, a bright grin on her face. Ms. Keane looked around expectantly, but finally smiled at Blossom and gestured toward her.

"Alright, it looks like no one else knows. Can you tell me what four times three is, Blossom?" she asked as a formality. Blossom nodded and stood up.

"Eight!" A voice called out, before she had a chance to answer. Blossom balked and turned to Brick with an incredulous glare.

"What? No that's not right! It's twelve!" she retorted, putting her hands on her hips. Brick leered back at her with a cheeky grin. Ms. Keane cleared her throat, getting the class's attention once more.

"Yes, Blossom is correct. Three groups of four is four plus four plus four, equaling twelve," She turned to Brick with a polite smile, "Brick you've been very good today, but please raise your hand and wait to be called on when you think you know the answer," Brick snickered and nodded.

"Oh alright. I forgot," His response was overly nice, fooling neither the Powerpuff Girls nor the teacher. Still, Ms. Keane offered him a thankful smile.

"That's alright. Now...since we seem to be having trouble with our four tables, we're going to keep practicing. Does anyone know four times five?" Like usual, Blossom's hand shot up. The rest of the class remained rooted in place. Ms. Keane glanced at the clock and, seeing that time was running out, decided to let her star pupil shine for the last five or so minutes.

"Alright Blossom, please tell us the answer," She asked.

"Fourteen!" A voice called out, just as Blossom's mouth opened. Blossom whipped around, clenching her fists tightly while giving Brick the proverbial death glare. Brick just grinned back at her.

"It's twenty!" Ms. Keane swallowed, fearing that a super-powered brawl was brewing. And only halfway into the school day. She cleared her throat, having to clap her hands to get every eye back on her.

"That's correct, Blossom. Brick, please raise your hand when you want to answer!" Brick just snickered again trading mischievous looks with his brothers.

"Oops, guess I got excited," Blossom groaned out loud and sat back in her seat. Ms. Keane sighed and gave Brick a stern look. The red-eyed ruff just grinned back and returned to talking to his brothers. Ms. Keane wrote a new problem on the board, biting her tongue and changing it around. She turned with a bright smile, ignoring the flabbergasted looks on her student's faces.

"Now can anyone find the answer to this problem? And once you find the answer, please tell me the digital sum!" The class just stared blankly, while at the back of the room frantic scribbling could be heard. Written on the board was the most confusing jumble of symbols and numbers most of the students had ever encountered.

(9^62773 + 2)^83721

"Um...Ms. Keane...what does that thingie mean?" Mike Believe asked, pointing at the exponent symbol. Ms. Keane smiled and waved her hand.

"That is a caret, Mike, and it designates a power," Mike put his hand down and just stared blankly. He, like most of the class, had no idea what that meant. Everyone had begun to slowly look to the back of the room, where Blossom was scribbling in her notes. She paused and tapped her chin with her pencil, then quickly wrote a bit more, a smile spreading across her lips. Her hand shot into the air. Ms. Keane giggled and looked at the pink Powerpuff with a wry smirk.

"Yes, Blossom, you know the answer?" Blossom cleared her throat and brushed the eraser shavings from her paper.

"One million!" Blossom's pencil snapped in her hand, the two ends falling to the floor with disturbing volume. She glared, her cheeks bright red, and her teeth grinding together, at the red Rowdyruff Boy laughing wildly across from her. She slammed her paper down on the desk and swallowed with a tremendous effort. Ms. Keane's breath caught in her throat and a shiver of fear ran down her spine.

"You're just yelling random numbers! The answer is two!" The class blinked and all turned to Ms. Keane who was sweating now. She nervously clapped her hands, numbly and weakly while trying to balance the swell of pride she felt with the utter horror she suddenly possessed. Somehow knowing that she had never before witnessed the girls' true power...she worried that anything could set Blossom off in her still damaged state.

"That is correct Blossom...how did you solve the problem so quickly?" Ms. Keane stiffly walked to the desk and picked up Blossom's paper, reading through her surprisingly neat handwriting. Blossom sat down, still glaring at Brick, who was just laughing even harder. Blossom clenched her fists and lowered her head.

"It wasn't that hard...I just used a logarithm..." Ms. Keane nodded, setting the paper back down. She returned to the front of the room, not without giving Brick the harshest glare she could muster. As always, the Rowdyruff Boy was completely unfazed. She sighed and looked at the clock. There was just enough time for one last problem before recess.

"Alright, here is the last review problem. This was the one most of you missed, so pay very close attention! What is...six times three?" As usual, the first hand up was Blossom's. Ms. Keane could tell that the class's attention was waning, they were ready for their play time. So, to keep the day moving, she called on Blossom immediately.

"Yes Blossom?"

"Eighteen!" Ms. Keane blinked and slowly looked at Brick, who was grinning smugly at Blossom. The Kindergarten teacher turned to the auburn-haired heroine, who seemed shocked. Ms. Keane nodded, writing the answer on the board.

"Why...yes...that's correct, Brick," The bell rang just as she finished writing the answer. The class erupted in cheers, a stampede of students making their way to the playground. Ms. Keane sat at her desk and watched the Rowdyruff Boys closely. While Bubbles and Buttercup were quick to escape, Blossom stayed at her desk, trembling with rage and embarrassment. Ms. Keane sat down next to her and started to console the little girl.

* * *

On the playground, the students had divided and conquered the empty blacktop. Bubbles, Mike, and Robin had retreated to a corner to draw on the blacktop. Buttercup had joined with Harry, Mitch, and a collection of nameless targets had joined in their favorite pastime of knocking each other out with red rubber balls. Typically speaking, the day was good and fun. A new variable had been applied to the equation, in the form of the Rowdyruff Boys.

"Man I'm bored..." Butch complained, sitting to the side. Brick stood next to him, trying to peak into the window subtly. He snickered and giggled, pleased with just how upset he had made his counterpart.

"Uh...why are we just sitting here?" Boomer asked, sitting on Brick's other side, watching the other kids play enviously. Butch shrugged and pointed at Brick.

"I dunno, he didn't tell us what to do," Boomer looked at Brick and shrugged, climbing to his feet.

"Well then I'm gonna go play!" Boomer ran off, leaving Butch in shock. Butch jumped to his feet and looked at Brick, then back at the crowd of kids playing and having fun. Brick was still wallowing in Blossom's displeasure. Butch swallowed and looked around in discomfort.

"Uh...hey! Brick, what game are we gonna play?" Brick waved his arm, glaring at Butch.

"Dude, get lost I'm winning here!" Butch frowned, blinking and twitching when a ball beamed him in the back of the head. Butch looked down and saw the ball. He turned around and saw the kids playing dodgeball. He slowly picked up the ball and stared in awe at the game. Butch twitched violently, his entire head jerking to the side.

"Hey! Butch give us our ball back!" Someone yelled from the group. A twisted grin spread across Butch's face. He twitched again, his entire body jerking. Butch watched another kid get pegged in the face, and his tongue fell out of his mouth.

"W...W...W...W...What are they playing?" He asked, turning around to Brick. Brick glared at Butch and peaked out at the group.

"They're playing dodgeball, stupid!" Butch began to twitch wildly and uncontrollably. He bounced in place, holding the ball tighter and tighter.

"Dodgeball! Dodgeball! Dodgeball!" Butch shot into the fray, hurtling the ball at a dangerous speed. It clubbed Mitch in the head, knocking the school bully across the playground with a painful _schlock!_ Everyone gasped and turned, staring at the maniacally laughing, crazy green ruff. Buttercup narrowed her eyes and hurled a ball at Butch, who just caught it with a grin.

"Hey! Quit ruining our game you jerk!" Butch snickered and chucked the ball at Harry, taking him out in a painful spiral. Buttercup growled and snatched the nearest ball, "Sorry Elmer, I'm gonna take care of this jerk," Elmer nodded and everyone began to back away nervously. Butch spun around laughing and watching them retreat. His spinning brought him back to face Buttercup. He twitched and snickered, launching himself at her.

At the other end of the playground, Bubbles was happily drawing a unicorn. Still, her attention was diverted and every so often she glanced back at the school building. Sitting a few feet away, working on a dragon, Robin watched Bubbles worriedly.

"Is Blossom going to be alright? She didn't come out for recess," Mike looked up from his clown and nodded.

"Yeah, she was getting really mad. I was kind of scared..." All three laughed sheepishly, at what in particular they couldn't decide. Bubbles nodded and began to color in her unicorn.

"She'll be alright, Blossom's tough. She's just so upset about yesterday and she's tryin' to not let anyone know," The two closest friends of the Powerpuff Girls nodded. As much as she was trying to act normal, everyone in class had noticed Blossom's sudden dip in confidence and vigor. Robin and Mike looked at each other. Both had been avoiding the question over the last couple days, but it had reached a nagging point that neither could ignore. Finally, the braver of the two spoke up.

"Hey Bubbles...what happened to that giant monster that...beat you girls?" Robin asked. Bubbles paused and bit her lip. Her friends were worried they had upset her, but soon she was smiling again. Bubbles shrugged and started to draw a rainbow.

"He's hidin' from us or something. He made Fuzzy go crazy, made that big robot attack us, and I think Princess got that black suit from him!" Mike gasped and Robin looked up at the blue sky, recalling every detail about the giant black monster. She had never, in all the time she lived in Townsville, seen her best friends beaten so badly.

"That's scary! What are...what are you gonna do about him?" Mike asked, crossing his legs and setting down his chalk. Bubbles tapped her lip. That was a question they had avoided. She and Buttercup that is; the two assumed Blossom knew the answer and was just waiting to tell them. Before the conversation could continue, someone stepped on Robin's dragon and began laughing. The three glared at Boomer, who was pointing at Bubbles' unicorn.

"Your horse looks so stupid!" Bubbles huffed and glared back at her drawing. She crossed her arms and turned to Boomer with a haughty look.

"It's a unicorn," Boomer stopped laughing and tapped his chin. He snickered and pointed again, laughing once more.

"Your unicorn looks so stupid!" Bubbles started to retort, but Boomer quickly grabbed a piece of red chalk and started drawing over Bubbles' picture. Bubbles gasped.

"My drawings!" She cried, trying to push Boomer away. Boomer sat back and wiped his face, getting chalk dust in his hair and leaving a streak of red across his cheeks.

"That looks better!" Bubbles stared in horror. Boomer had redrawn her unicorn so that it was being attacked by a monster. Boomer laughed, then yelped when a stick of chalk smacked him in the forehead.

* * *

The girls sat in the backseat of Ms. Keane's car, each wearing a scowl of varying intensity. Bubbles was staring out the window, covered in chalk marks and a few scrapes. Buttercup had a bruised cheek and, though it couldn't be seen, a throbbing red spot on her stomach. Blossom sat in the middle, arms crossed, and an angry flush still lingering on her cheeks and small bags under her eyes.

Brick had absolutely refused to let her enjoy her nap time following recess. Waiting until she was starting to drift off to scare her, tickle her, and do anything else imaginable to keep her awake. Even moving him across the room hadn't stopped him. And the class time afterward proceeded just like it had prior to recess. Once the last bell rang, all three puffs were ready to fly into a fury. Fortunately, Ms. Keane had promised to deal with the boys. And so the girls were waiting for their surrogate matriarch to return. After nearly an hour of waiting, the worn out teacher climbed into the car, sighing and resting her head against the steering wheel.

"How are you girls feeling now?" Her question was met with silence. Ms. Keane turned around, offering a sympathetic smile, "I've written a note to Mr. Wednesday to take care of the boys and I have warned them that this behavior won't be tolerated any more," Ms. Keane's small smile faded, as the girls continued glaring off into space. She sighed and started the car, starting toward home at a leisurely pace.

"Girls, please talk to me. I understand that the boys were mean to you today, but that's no excuse to be so grumpy," The girls looked at each other and sighed in unison, losing their scowls and assuming far more meek expressions.

"You're right, Ms. Keane, we're sorry..." Blossom said with a loud yawn. She quickly stifled it and sat back sleepily. Her teacher wasn't surprised, it was no secret that the redhead needed her nap time. Buttercup lifted her dress and daintily rubbed the red spot on her stomach. She hissed and pushed her dress down, glaring at the window.

"Those jerks just had to ruin everything! Why did you let them come to class?" Ms. Keane glanced into the rear-view mirror, her eyes fluttering back to the road.

"It wasn't my choice. Mr. Wednesday was just doing his job," Buttercup huffed, wincing and regretting it. None of the three were satisfied with the answer, even if it was the only correct answer. Bubbles sniffed and stared at her faint reflection in the window. She tried cleaning the chalk off her face.

"They got in trouble though...right?" Ms. Keane nodded, once more glancing in the rear-view mirror.

"Yes, they'll be staying in at recess tomorrow so that I can explain proper classroom behavior to them. Don't worry girls...I trust you this time, and I'm on your side," The girls nodded. Ms. Keane could swear she saw slight hurt in their expressions. Last time she had let Ace dupe her, but she wasn't about to fall for that again. She did trust the girls.

"It'll be alright girls, I promise," Ms. Keane said, offering them a reflected smile. The girls smiled in return.

"We know Ms. Keane, we trust you too," Bubbles replied. Her heart fluttered and a tear formed in the pit of her eye. Ms. Keane giggled softly, gently wiping it away. She caught a glimpse of something in the distance. Looking out, careful to avoid detection by the girls, she got a faint glance of the structure. Her blood ran cold. It was a massive statue of Aku, built near the Morebucks mansion.

* * *

He smiled wickedly to himself, watching the visions floating around him. Yes, his investment in those children had proven useful. They would provide the ultimate distraction...allowing him to work on what truly mattered.

**"Wicked children...you have stirred up strong feelings in these girls. Show me their fullest power, as only you can,"** Aku's voice carried heavily through the twisted Pit of Hate. He rose from his throne and approached the vision, watching the Red Boy torment the Red Child, keeping her awake. Though he found great pleasure in seeing her so miserable, he felt an inexplicable rage budding. She was a beautiful creature, her cheeks flushed with emotion. Knowing that the Red Boy was the cause of her emotion; however, caused his fists to clench and his chest to sting horribly.

**"Red Child, you are...the most incredible being that I, the great Aku, have ever laid eyes upon...you possess unmatched power," **A vision of Blossom beating down Princess appeared to his left. More visions flooded the air around him. Blossom battling Aku to save Bubbles. Blossom leading the attack against Fuzzy Lumpkins. Blossom fighting the giant robot alone.

**"Superhuman intelligence..."** Earlier that day, Aku had been absolutely dazzled by the child's powerful mind. She was so young, and yet had answered such an advanced problem like it was nothing. She had solved the mystery of how to defeat the super-powered robot.

**"And unbreakable willpower..."** Every image changed, displaying a different scene from Blossom's fight with Princess. The evil child burning through the heroine's back. The evil child shocking her until she wet herself. The evil child pinning her to the ground, twisting her nipples until it seemed she would rip them off. Through all of these things, Aku was continuously shown that the Red Child was an amazing, precious person.

**"I must know you...I must have you. You could be...no you will be my greatest servant, my ultimate weapon. With you by my side...I would be unstoppable,"** The visions faded to become a single image. Blossom was alone at home, curled up in bed and taking the nap she hadn't been allowed before. Aku sat back in his chair, feeling a not entirely unpleasant warmness in him. His chest felt strange, and his face felt...hot.

* * *

Blossom lay curled up in bed, a small content smile on her face. She snuggled deeper beneath the blankets, hugging her pillow tightly. At first, her sleep was dreamless. A pleasant, comforting darkness that just revitalized her tired mind. Blossom moaned and stretched, rolling over and rubbing her stomach.

_Blossom stood naked over Princess, who lay broken and defeated at her feet. She watched the dark cloud now rising from Princess' body, holding her breath and waiting for it to fade away. But this time, the darkness didn't fade, it began to spread. Blossom gasped and took a step back, looking around. There was no crowd coming to save her, no sisters rushing to her side. Blossom's blood raced and her heart began to pound. She bit her lip and looked up at the growing cloud of darkness. She wanted to be afraid...but moreso she felt...excited._

_The darkness consumed everything, until Blossom was standing alone in a field of black. She gasped, feeling a cold finger trail across her back. Blossom stood, paralyzed and shuddering. Malicious fingers caressed her hair, smoothing out the tangles and singed ends. She cooed softly, afraid to turn and look, excited by the prospect that she couldn't see him. She bit her lip harder when she felt his tail brush against her feet._

_Blossom closed her eyes and held her breath as the chilly coil wrapped around her body, cutting her bare skin off from the whistling wind. She swallowed hard, breaking out into a sweat. Blossom opened her eyes, finally, and looked up. There was the serpent's head, looking down at her with evil red eyes. She gasped as he tightened around her, slowly lowering his face to hers. Blossom felt a sharp sting as blood began to stream down her cheek. Aku's fiery eyebrows crackled in the cold air._

_Blossom shivered, she could feel his cool skin against her legs, soothingly pressing against her searing, sore chest. Aku's face was inches from hers now. She smiled softly, exhaling weakly when his hot breath blew in her face._

_**"You cannot hope to defeat Aku, child,"**__ Blossom giggled, squealing as his tongue tickled the blood from her cheek. She opened her eyes and gasped as the darkness began to close in on her._

Blossom bit her lip, pulling the twisted blankets even tighter around her. She giggled and moaned, ignorant of the startling lack of light in the room. In the rocking chair sitting in the corner, a pair of flaming eyes watched her devoutly, holding his chest.


	11. Evil Lurks in the Darkness

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Things are about to get more intense, while at the same time becoming a little more light-hearted, if that makes sense. Just be patient and...look a little closer than usual. You just might find something.**

**Chapter 10**

* * *

The sky was a rich shade of orange and pink, filled with but the thinnest of clouds. Thick forest grew on every side of the clearing, overflowing with leafy trees and wildflowers. Birds sang loudly and the bugs practically screamed as the sun began setting on a peaceful day. The leaves crunched and twigs snapped beneath a pair of heavy boots. The bushes rustled and a neatly dressed figure stumbled through, coughing and brushing the dirt from his dark shirt.

"Wow, I found it," The man walked out into the clearing, gasping when he came to a sudden stop in the rich foliage. In the middle of the bountiful field was a dead space. An empty wasteland, several years wide, where not even an insect dared to fly. Professor Utonium stuck his hands in his pockets, walking into the dead area. He swallowed hard, terrified to find that even the air was heavy and dead.

"Even after all these years...this place hasn't changed," He could still recall, plain as day, the massive hole that was now missing. He walked to the center of the clearing and wiped the sweat from his brow. Even though the air was cool and comfortable, he felt uncomfortably hot. Like a searing fire was blazing right in front of him. The Professor sighed and tugged at his collar, kneeling down and rubbing his hand through the dirt.

"Dry and hot...not at all like the forest. What was this place? This is where I found him..." The Professor climbed to his feet and sighed, looking up at the evening sky. He heard rustling, and turned quickly. The scientist laughed nervously and shook his head, taking out his pipe and lightning it.

"Relax Jimmy, you're letting this place get to you," The Professor began walking toward the setting sun, following the trail of the dead ground. It burst into life after a point, so abruptly that it seemed impossible. He continued walking forward, gasping at what he eventually found stretched out before him. A massive canyon, stretching further than the eye could see. He could even find the bottom, but the forest seemed to extend into it. Rising up from the canyon, like foot falls were strangely formed...pillars of stone, covered completely in thick moss.

"That's impossible...and yet..." Somehow the Professor knew he had seen this spot somewhere before. He peered over the edge, his heart racing faster and faster. As he gazed at the pillars of moss covered stone, he almost thought that the distance between them didn't seem so insurmountable.

'Why if one could just get a running start...it would be easy enough to jump across...' He pondered, stroking his chin and puffing his pipe. The Professor jumped, once more hearing the bushes rustle. He spun around and was greeted by the strangest sight. Three men in cloaks were sitting in the middle of the clearing, building a campfire. He chuckled nervously when one of the men, his blue eyes piercing, looked up with an unreadable expression. The scientist waved absentmindedly, stalking toward them with great trepidation.

"Um...hello there! I didn't expect to see anyone else out here," He called sheepishly. Now all three of the men were looking at him. The Professor swallowed and came to a halt several feet from where they sat. The Professor felt an unnerving sense of familiarity. He had felt such piercing stares before, as though these men were peering into his soul. The first man spoke, in a voice that ran deep as a river.

"You have returned," The Professor froze, tapping out his pipe. He cleared his throat and looked around nervously. Finally, he gave the first man a confused stare.

"I'm sorry?" The man looked back down to the campfire. His companions had long since stopped looking at the Professor, instead peering into the crackling flames. The Professor cleared his throat and put his hand in his pocket, puffing his pipe. The first man spoke, without looking away from the fire. It came so suddenly, and with such weight, that the Professor lost his breath.

"Your journey has just begun, ours is nearing completion," The Professor put out his pipe, pondering over the man's words. He opened his mouth several times, hoping each time that the words would come to him. Every time, he closed it in frustration. Finally, he pieced together a coherent thought.

"Your journey? Where are you headed?" The men sat, unmoving, watching the fire. The Professor, too, found his eyes drawn to it. Something in the flickering flames struck a chord within his soul. Something so concealed, so distant that he couldn't begin to decipher it. But something that, nonetheless, was so powerful he felt as though it may be the most important chord ever struck. He cleared his throat, unblinking while watching the dancing flames. Again, the first man's words startled him.

"To the north, there is a mountain. We journey so that we may climb it," The Professor licked his lips. Despite the unnatural heat that seemed to be blazing in his face, a frigid chill ran down his spine. The Professor continued to stare unblinking into the fire. It seemed as though the world around him had stopped spinning.

"Is there...any reason? Something at the top of the mountain?" The men put out the fire and rose to their feet. The Professor jumped, suddenly aware of his surroundings once more. They began to walk toward the canyon at the end of the clearing. The first man stopped, turning and making eye contact with the Professor.

"When you're ready, you will know. Your journey has just begun," The man joined his companions. The Professor watched them walk toward the canyon, stopping to turn and look at the burnt mark on the ground. He turned back, calling out. He froze. The men had disappeared. The Professor sighed and shook his head, making his way back into the forest. He was still no closer to understanding the mysterious story of Aku and the Nameless Prince. But...though he tried to ignore, something had stirred in him. Perhaps, he had taken his first step in the right direction.

* * *

Ms. Keane walked around the room, smiling faintly while the students sat and worked hard on their Special Person project. She noticed that the Rowdyruff Boys weren't working, and quickly went to investigate. She smiled sheepishly, kneeling down in front of their desk.

"I'm sorry boys, I forgot to tell you about this project," She apologized. The boys stopped talking and turned to her with varying degrees of irritation. Butch glanced at Brick, making sure to wear a matching look of annoyance. Boomer only looked confused, looking around the room.

"Uh...so what is it?" He asked. Ms. Keane smiled and folded her hands under her chin.

"Well everyone in class is going to be giving a presentation about a person they feel is very special to them. It can be a family member, a parent, or even a friend. You need to be able to talk about this person for a few minutes, and you'll need to make a 'visual aid' to help with your presentation," The all seemed confused. Brick snickered and laughed.

"That sounds so lame! What's a 'vishalaid' anyway?" He asked, elbowing Butch, who snickered in response. Ms. Keane's lip twitched, but she kept a pleasant look on her face.

"Well a visual aid can be a Powerpoint, a posterboard, a drawing, just something that you've made to help with your presentation," Boomer rubbed his chin, peaking over that the next table. Elmer was gluing colored pieces of construction paper to his posterboard.

"So we can do anything?" He asked. Ms. Keane nodded, slightly awed by Boomer's interest. Brick and Butch traded a droll glance and shrugged.

"Yeah, whatever. It sounds stupid," Brick muttered, glaring at Boomer. Butch nodded.

"Yeah, real stupid," He mumbled in agreement. Ms. Keane shook her head, rising to her feet.

"Well that may be, but you still need to work on the project. It's not due for a while, so don't feel like you're in a hurry. But don't dawdle too much!" The boys muttered varying responses. Ms. Keane returned to patrolling the room, already seeing a few hands in the air.

At the Powerpuff Girls' table, only one of the three girls seemed to be accomplishing much for her project. Buttercup sat, staring a blank sheet of paper, while Blossom seemed to have discovered something fascinating in the ceiling. Bubbles colored and hummed happily to herself, gluing on glitter, paper hearts, and filling any blank space with a menagerie of doodles. Buttercup glared at her sister, leaning forward on her mitt.

"How is this so easy for you?" She asked in frustration. Bubbles stopped and stuck out her tongue.

"Cause I'm the most creative! It's easy, silly! Who are you using?" Buttercup sighed and stared at her blank paper, glaring at Bubbles' admittedly great poster.

"I dunno yet...I didn't wanna use the Professor 'cause you took him and everyone would think I copied you," Buttercup complained, returning her scowl to her blank paper. Bubbles giggled and shook her head.

"No one will think that! C'mon he's our dad!" She pointed out. Buttercup sighed and looked away.

"Yeah...I'll probably use the Professor," The green puff conceded. She began writing a few details on her paper, glancing over at Bubbles' poster every so often. Though the two did little to keep their voices down, throughout the exchange Blossom hadn't heard a word. As she stared at the ceiling, eyes half-closed, her lips slightly parted, she focused in on the only bit of information written in her notebook.

'Who is my Special Person?' Of course all of the obvious answers had crossed her mind. There was, of course, the Professor. Her father figure, who had created her and raised her as his own daughter. Then there was Ms. Keane. If she were to consider anyone a mother, her teacher would come the closest. She had gone above and beyond her duty as an instructor and had been a friend to the girls.

Blossom closed her eyes. There were numerous people who she...could consider special. The mayor, despite all of his shortcomings. Ms. Bellum, who had been there almost as much as Ms. Keane had. Even Talking Dog, despite how frustrating the mutt had been, he was certainly...special. But all of these obvious choices felt wrong.

'There's always Bubbles and Buttercup...' Blossom opened her eyes and lowered her head, turning to look at her sisters. They were both working hard. Both had chosen the Professor, she noticed with a frown. If neither was going to use her, or even each other, she'd feel stupid picking one of them as her special person. Blossom breathed deep and slowly let it out, trying to avoid drawing attention to herself.

'Who is my Special Person?' She bit her lip, rolling the question over and over again in her head. What did the question really mean? A person who was special to her, in a way that others weren't. Blossom had tried to avoid it, but her face was heating up. She pulled her notebook close to her and began writing, but only one word at a time. She wasn't sure she wanted to put down a complete thought; snippets would have to suffice for now. As she mulled over the direction she'd begun toward, she questioned her own reasoning.

'I don't...even know what it is...that I feel. I just...I know it's not like anything I ever felt before...' A chill ran down her spine, and Blossom smiled secretively. At the front of the room, trying to be discreet, Ms. Keane had noticed Blossom's silent deliberation. She pursed her lips curiously. Blossom had been acting very strange lately. It was a kind of strange that the teacher was used to seeing in teenagers, rather than children.

* * *

Recess had gone smoothly without the Rowdyruff Boys to ruin everyone's fun. Unfortunately, being kept in while the others went out to play had served to greatly irk the villains turned school children. And the nap time following recess would prove to be a challenge for all parties involved.

'Stupid school...if this wasn't part of the stupid plan I'd so kick that stupid girl's butt!' Brick thought spitefully, glaring across the room to where Blossom was sleeping. In light of his antics the day before, Ms. Keane had made sure he was kept as far from the pink puff as possible. Brick crossed his arms and glared at the ceiling. He wasn't about to let the know-it-all get off so easily. The Rowdyruff leader looked around, spotting Ms. Keane at her desk. She was preoccupied, giving him a chance to snatch the nearest object, a piece of paper. He laid back down quickly, glancing back at the teacher. As silently as he could, he crumpled the paper into a ball, hiding it beneath his blanket.

'Just gotta wait for it...' Brick grinned when Ms. Keane wasn't looking, hurtling the paper ball across the room. He quickly rolled over and pretended to be sleeping, struggling to hold in his laughter when he heard an angry huff. Brick chanced glancing over his shoulder, snickering mischievously. He'd managed to catch the red-haired heroine before she drifted off. Now she was sitting up, scowling at the room in annoyance. Blossom threw the paper ball away and laid back down, sighing and pulling her blanket up to her chin.

'I don't think so!' Brick looked up, giggling when he saw his chance. He grabbed the next nearest object, someone else's shoe, and flung it at Blossom. He rolled over and nearly lost it when he heard the resounding clunk of the object hitting her head.

"Ow!!" Blossom sat up holding her head, with a dangerous glint in her eyes. Ms. Keane looked up, frowning.

"Blossom, what's wrong?" Blossom grabbed the shoe and glared across the room, trembling. As far as she could tell, Brick was fast asleep. She looked down at the shoe and sighed.

"Nothing Ms. Keane..." Blossom shoved the shoe away, laying back down and rubbing her head tenderly. She pulled the blanket tightly around her again, desperate to drift off to sleep. Though, excited as she was to finally get her nap, she was nervous as to what it would entail. Blossom peaked out and carefully smoothed her dress. Feeling that it was still dry, she sighed in content and closed her eyes, a small smile spreading across her lips.

'Oh man, I'm gonna get caught if I try that again...but I can't let her win...hey!' Brick noticed that Boomer was sprawled out and drooling just below Blossom. If he could wake his stupid brother up, the blue ruff could help him torment his counterpart. Brick looked around, trying to find something else to throw. Whatever it was...he'd need to be careful. Boomer was an idiot and would probably draw attention to himself. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything close by to throw...anything safe at least. Brick glowered and stared at Boomer. As carefully as he could manage, he fired a weak heat ray at his brother. That did the trick.

"Huh? What? Who's there?" Boomer mumbled, starting to sit up. Thankfully he noticed Brick before Ms. Keane saw him waking up. Brick motioned for Boomer to lay back down, and was met with a blank stare of confusion. Brick slapped his face and laid down himself, motioning for Boomer to do the same. Boomer nodded and laid down, shrugging. Brick pointed at Blossom and jerked his head. Boomer looked up and noticed the Powerpuff girl, fast asleep and curled up tightly. He frowned and blinked, confused when she giggled softly.

'What's she dreamin' about?' Boomer thought, rubbing his chin. He looked back at Brick, who was making a grabbing motion. Boomer blinked and looked at Blossom again. He furrowed his brow and looked back at his brother, pointing at the puff's blanket. Brick nodded, grinning wickedly. Boomer swallowed hard and reached out, taking hold of Blossom's blanket. He froze in horror, as right at that moment, Blossom moaned softly, curling up tighter. Boomer looked at Brick, who was motioning for him to keep going. With the most care he'd ever excised in his life, Boomer tugged Blossom's blanket away. The puff shuddered and hugged herself, and her pillow, tightly. Brick frowned and laid on his arms in annoyance.

'Man that woke her up yesterday...oh I know!' Brick waved, getting Boomer's attention again. He kicked his foot and pointed at Blossom again. Boomer only response was a blank stare. Brick slapped his forehead and made another pulling motion. Boomer looked up, stumbling over his brother's questionable gestures. Brick growled and pointed harder. Boomer rubbed his chin and followed his brother's mitt. Without thinking, he reached out and grabbed Blossom's foot. Blossom giggled suddenly and jerked her foot away. Boomer jumped and quickly made it look like he was sleeping. No retaliation came his way, so he peaked out again at his brother.

'Now you've got it, you moron!' Brick nodded and grinned, pointing again. Boomer was sweating nervously. He crawled a bit closer to Blossom, peaking between the desks to make sure Ms. Keane wasn't watching. Slowly, like Indiana Jones about to snatch the artifact, he reached out and poked Blossom's foot again. Again, the auburn puff giggled and squirmed, but didn't wake. Brick glared at her, crossing his arms.

'Oh man she's not waking up...' He groaned and laid on his back, glaring while Boomer kept up his covert tickle attack on his sleeping adversary. Brick shook his head when Boomer looked at him again. Boomer nodded and scooted back onto his sleeping mat, shrugging in defeat. Brick propped himself up on his elbow and looked around. He glanced at Ms. Keane, then sat up a bit, grinning when he finally found the perfect weapon.

'Huh? What now?' Boomer thought, looking up over his head. Hanging over the edge of the table next to him was a ruler. Boomer sat up and grabbed it, laying back down quickly and once more feigning sleep. He opened one eye, noticing Brick's devious grin. Brick pointed at Blossom again, making a jabbing motion. Boomer looked up and swallowed, once more crawling closer as quietly as he could. He looked down at the ruler, then back up at Blossom, and finally back at Brick. Brick made another jabbing motion.

'Uh...where?' Boomer wondered. Without giving it any further thought, he crawled closer and stretched his arm out, extending the ruler toward Blossom. While he had intended to poke her in the back, she moved at just the right time for him to miss. The ruler slid up Blossom's dress, and Boomer felt a shiver run through the puff. Blossom moaned again, hugging her pillow tightly. Boomer listened closely, faintly hearing her say something. His cheeks turned red and he looked at his brother again. Brick was glaring at him, anxious for him to get it over with. Boomer nodded and jabbed forward.

Blossom screamed and sat up suddenly, hands flying to her backside. Boomer yelped and threw the ruler down, falling back on his sleeping mat, holding himself up on his hands. Boomer's face was beat red; the embarrassed lump in his throat was so big he could barely swallow. Blossom's eyes were watering, her lips were trembling and, if possible, she was even redder than he was. Worst of all, she looked moments away from killing him.

"Uh...uh...uh...s-sorry?" Boomer managed to stutter out. Brick finally lost it and was laughing hysterically at the other end of the room.

"What is going on over here?! Are we having a problem again?" Ms. Keane asked, glaring at the Rowdyruff, her hands on her hips. Boomer swallowed, finally, and looked up at her nervously. He opened and closed his mouth, his voice long gone. Blossom was mumbling and stuttering, a total transformation from her typically articulate self.

"He stuck...he...that...he put...and then..." She took a deep breath and let it out through clenched teeth. Boomer's blood ran cold as, quite literally, smoke came from the corners of her mouth. Boomer whimpered and held his hands up defensively. Ms. Keane glared at Boomer, speaking in a low, firm voice.

"Boomer come with me," Boomer nodded, swallowing hard and flying as far around the seething Powerpuff as he could manage. Brick was still laughing wildly at the other end of the room. Ms. Keane turned to Brick, crossing her arms.

"You too, Brick," Brick's laughter died off and a scowl spread across his face. Groaning he floated with Boomer and Ms. Keane out of the room. Most of the class was wide awake now, staring at Blossom who was still on the verge of an explosion. She finally hissed and grabbed her blanket, curling up and trembling. Sleep was now the further thing from her mind. She bit her lip and carefully smoothed her dress. She wasn't comfortable anymore...but no one would notice with any luck.

* * *

The rest of class was uneventful. So much so that Ms. Keane was worried. From the English lesson to the student's lesson in shapes and colors, she felt as though she was talking to herself. As if somehow the obvious distractions her superpowered children were facing was bleeding into her regular students. Speaking of the superpowered students, she was shocked to find that every single one of them was barely paying her any mind.

At the Rowdyruff Boy's table, Brick kept his attention on his desk. At times it looked like he was writing something, other times it looked like he was speaking to himself. Butch, it seemed, never fully woke up after nap time and was making no effort to disguise his sleeping. He laid sprawled out on the table, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Boomer was still blushing, still flustered from the prank Brick had talked him into. Every so often he glanced back at the girls' table.

The Powerpuff Girls weren't any more attentive than their male counterparts. The teacher couldn't be entirely upset with them, as at least two of them were working on a school related assignment. Buttercup was hunched over a notebook, working more diligently than Ms. Keane had ever seen before. She kept glaring at Bubbles, who was drawing different sketches relating to her project. Bubbles kept smirking at Buttercup and sticking her tongue out. Blossom was distracted in a notably different way. She kept shifting uncomfortably, pressing her legs together. She was flushed and hadn't raised her hand the entire class period.

Before anyone knew it, the bell rang and school was done for the day. The kids quickly rushed for the door, leaving behind the Powerpuff Girls, Ms. Keane, and the still very much asleep Butch, who had been abandoned by his brothers. Ms. Keane sighed and walked over to him, gently shaking him. Butch sat up, biting his tongue and screeching, covering his mouth.

"Ow! What?!" Ms. Keane giggled nervously and clasped her hands.

"Butch, class is over, you can go home," Butch looked up at the clock and blinked several times. He rubbed his tongue and stood up.

"Oh...okay, cool," As he was heading for the door, Butch yawned and stretched, hitting Bubbles and knocking the papers out of her hands. Bubbles gasped and Butch jumped, rubbing his arm.

"My drawings!" Butch frowned and snatched up one of the papers as Bubbles quickly stuffed them into her backpack. Butch stared at the drawing. He turned it over several times, blinking.

"Uh...wow...that's really..." Bubbles stood up, blushing and swallowing. She braced herself for the insults about to come. Butch peeked over the drawing, frowning and twitching slightly. He swallowed and held out the paper stiffly. Bubbles blinked and stared in surprise. Butch blushed and looked away, still holding the paper out.

"Um...that's really good...sorry...uh..." Butch was looking around nervously. Bubbles took her drawing back, watching the green ruff closely. To be perfectly honest, she'd never seen him by himself before. Butch clearly wasn't a fan of the idea. He blushed and looked at Bubbles, taking a few steps back.

"You uh...draw good...for a uh..." Butch scratched his head and swallowed hard. He thrust his mitt out, still nervous, "F-For a sissified weenie wimp!" Butch turned darker when Bubbles started laughing. He took a nervous step back, glancing at the other occupants of the classroom. Buttercup and Blossom were keeping an eye on him, but were mostly helping Ms. Keane clean up. He turned back to Bubbles who gave him a charming smile. Butch twitched, his head jerking to the side.

"Thanks! I worked really hard on it!" Butch sputtered and quickly stumbled back toward the door. He looked at the others then stuck his tongue out at Bubbles and flew out the door frantically. Bubbles giggled and joined her sisters and teacher, all of whom were heading out to the car.

"That was weird...what was his problem?" Buttercup asked, glancing at Bubbles. The blue puff shrugged, smiling brightly.

"He's not so bad when Brick isn't around!" Buttercup stuck her tongue out, but didn't comment. Without further discussion, the four piled into the car and made their way home.

* * *

The moment she got home, Blossom flew up the stairs and hid in the bedroom. She closed the door tightly, breathing heavily. As soon as she turned around she jumped. Blossom held her chest, trying to will her frantic heart to slow down. Sitting on the bed staring at her, wearing his same stupid look, was Bubbles' favorite doll, Octi. Blossom sighed and scratched her head. She shuffled from foot to foot, blushing.

"This is so stupid...um...don't tell anyone, okay, Octi?" Blossom rolled her eyes, knowing it was ridiculous. She quickly shed her dress and rushed to the bathroom. The shadows in the room shifted around, a dark figure appearing next to the bed. Aku snatched the doll from the bed, holding it up and staring at it.

**"She spoke to this toy, as if it were alive...for what reason?" **Aku frowned and threw the doll back down on the bed. He glanced at the door; he could hear someone approaching. He faded back into the shadows, disappearing. The door flew open and Bubbles hovered in.

"Blossom? Are you in here?" Bubbles paused at the bathroom door. She started to lean closer then paused.

"Um...I'm in here Bubbles," Bubbles blushed and giggled nervously. She hovered backward.

"Oh sorry! Okay, we were just wondering where you ran off to!" Bubbles flew back to the bed. She gasped in girlish delight and scooped her favorite toy into her arms. Octi's blank stare was locked on the bathroom door. Bubbles giggled and held him out.

"Hello Octi! I missed you so much, yes I did! Let's go play downstairs! Blossom! Ms. Keane wanted to know what you wanted for supper!" Bubbles called, floating back toward the door. She paused again, hearing the frantic shuffling behind the door.

"Um...whatever is okay with me," Bubbles beamed and nodded.

"Okay!" Bubbles flew out of the room, closing the door behind her. In the bathroom, Blossom sighed and finished changing. She sighed and sat against the bathroom door, pulling her knees up to her chest. She gently rubbed her chest, and looked up at the ceiling. She sighed and got back to her feet. If she took too long, her sisters would worry. Blossom yawned and washed her hands, leaving the bathroom. She paused in the bedroom, noticing her backpack laying against the wall.

'Who is my Special Person?' Blossom sighed and gently rubbed her cheek, blushing and smiling. She hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her. Aku reemerged from the darkness, stroking his beard. She had stared so...longingly at her sack. Aku snatched the bag and sat back down on the girls' bed. He unzipped the sack and removed her notebook.

**"What is this? All day the Red Child has observed this tablet..." **Aku opened the notebook, turning until he found a page with a single line written on it. Who is my Special Person? Aku narrowed his eyes, his free hand clutching his chest.

**"Special Person? She has spent all this time dwelling on a single question? What does this mean?"** Aku had noticed that she kept touching her cheek. And while Boomer had failed to hear what she had said in her sleep earlier, Aku had heard. Aku set the notebook down, still clutching his chest. His eyebrows had dulled to a subtle flicker.

**"She spoke my name..."** Aku frowned and closed the notebook. He slid it back into the backpack, which he replaced next to the door. As the Shogun of Sorrow rose to his feet, he once more looked down at the bed. He narrowed his eyes and faded into the darkness, returning to his silent pursuit of the Red Child. The Lord of Darkness felt uneasy, despite his stealth and power. For a moment he could have sworn he saw that strange octopus doll.


	12. Color Evil Envious

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: It's beginning to look a lot like Puff/Ruff...oh my God what was that first scene?**

**Chapter 11**

* * *

Blossom slept uneasily, biting her lip and squirming. The darkness permeating the room was somehow thicker than usual, even with a stream of light pouring in from the hallway. In the darkness, a pair of red eyes watched her closely, a frown stretched across his lips. Every movement kept him entranced, every soft moan and gentle sigh. He inched closer, narrowing his eyes tenderly. He raised his hand, hesitating when she rolled over, facing him now. He swallowed and reached out, carefully tucking her hair back. She sighed blissfully, pressing her cheek against his hand.

_**"**_**You are a strange child..." **Blossom bit her lip as his fingers trailed down her cheek. He tilted his head, his chest tightening. He felt his lips tugging upward, a smile forcing its way to his face. Dark fingers gently trailed through her hair, lightly brushed against her pursed lips. The child gasped and swallowed hard, a blush spreading across her cheeks. He paused, gently cupping her cheek, to check on her sisters. The last thing he needed was an excuse to kill them.

The dark-haired sister laid with her back to him, curled up and clutching a green alligator doll. Just a doll, nothing more. He frowned, eyes traveling to the other sister. The Blue Child was curled up close to the Red Child, clutching the purple octopus doll. It was facing her, clutched tightly to her. Aku noticed with intrepid curiosity that her lips were gently pressed against those of the doll. He stroked his beard, unnerved by the strange toy. Although it was facing the Blue Child...one eye seemed to be watching him.

**"Never mind this foolish toy...you child...what is it you're dreaming?"** Aku whispered, returning his attention to Blossom. He swallowed hard, heat flying to his pale visage when his finger slipped between her parted lips. Blossom moaned and sucked on his finger, sending shivers through the demon's body, the likes of which he'd never before experienced. Aku quickly pulled his finger away, staring in awe at the child. She whimpered and curled tighter, panting and cheeks flushing. Aku's eyes widened.

"Ah!" Blossom sat up with a small scream, hands flying to her mouth. She looked around frantically, panting and rubbing her flaming cheeks. Blossom rubbed her cheek furiously, groaning and struggling to wipe away the drool coating the side of her face. She moved her legs and swallowed, slowly looking down. She blushed furiously and quickly floated out of bed, looking at her sisters in a panic. Thankfully neither had woken.

"Why does this keep happening to me?!" Blossom whispered, floating closer to the bed. The only good news was that the sheets weren't wet too. She breathed a sigh of relief and flew to the bathroom, biting her lip and closing the door slowly, quietly. She shed her wet underwear and threw them in the hamper in disgust. Blossom's mind was reeling as she wet a washcloth with warm water and sat back on the toilet, glancing nervously at the door.

"I've never wet the bed before...why is it happening now?" Warm water trickled down her legs, dripping gently on the floor. She sighed and shook her head. Was she wetting the bed? Logic would dictate that being the only explanation. But then why now?

"I keep having dreams..." She bit her lip and clenched her legs, a smile tugging at her lips. It wasn't entirely specific to just say she was having dreams. Blossom dreamed quite regularly, even if she didn't recall them all...vividly. No, every dream now was so eerily similar that just a slight mention...her cheeks flushed and her chest fluttered.

"Maybe...maybe I'm afraid...because he beat me..." Blossom's breathing became heavier, she leaned back and closed her eyes. She lightly bit her tongue. It would make sense, wetting the bed could be a logical response to stress. Her dad was gone and she was left, alone, trying to solve the mystery of how to fight an unbeatable opponent. Worse, he seemed to be as obsessed with her as she was with him. Blossom swallowed and caught her breath. Obsessed with him?

'It's just...because he's an enemy...he's a monster I have to beat...' Blossom took a deep breath and bit her tongue, a moan slipping free. He was a monster, but he was a different kind of monster. She still felt his breath on her face. It smelled like...fire...like ash. She clenched her eyes shut, imaging the rain pouring down. The sirens wailing in the distance. His harsh eyes, peering into her...so far into her.

'Different...he's...different...special...' The water gently trickled down her tense legs. Blossom swallowed, uttering a small whimper. He was a special...case. That was the only explanation; why she couldn't stop dreaming about him. She gasped in a breath, her mouth was dry as cotton. She'd been clean for a while now.

* * *

"Alright class! It's time for recess!" The day had moved painfully slow. Blossom's attention seemed to be growing increasingly distant. The Hotline hadn't rang in days, it was a very eerie turn of events. Considering that a being who could, for all argumentative purposes, be their most powerful enemy, was hiding somewhere, it was strange to see such a lull in activity. In fact, the most exciting aspect of the recent days had turned out to be the inclusion of the Rowdyruff Boys in their class.

"Blossom! Could you please wait for a moment?" Blossom paused, hovering blankly in midair. She hadn't even realized that she was hovering toward the door. Ms. Keane approached her with a smile; Blossom noticed that Boomer hadn't left the room either. The pink-eyed puff stared up at her teacher in confusion.

"Is something wrong Ms. Keane?" She asked, eyes darting to Boomer, who was watching her with an odd look in his eyes. Was it hopeful or apologetic? She really couldn't tell. Ms. Keane cleared her throat, reigning in Blossom's attention.

"Well Blossom, you see Boomer has been having a lot of trouble in class. Now I've tried to help him, but given the recent circumstances I just don't have quite that much time on my hands. I was wondering if you...could possibly tutor him? You're my very best student and I just know you can help him," Blossom frowned and crossed her arms, glaring at Boomer. The blue ruff stared back in confusion. Suddenly his face lit up, bright red, and he looked away.

"I...suppose I could..." Blossom blushed and looked away, 'It would keep my mind off other things...' Blossom sighed and nodded, floating over to Boomer's table. She huffed and sat down next to him, giving him a sideways glare. Boomer swallowed and smiled nervously. Ms. Keane beamed and strolled over to the table.

"Alright Boomer, Blossom has agreed to help you catch on. Now, as I'm sure you know, Blossom is very smart, she'll be able to answer any questions you have. But I want you to respect her, this is for your benefit, alright?" Boomer nodded, glancing at Blossom. His face got red and he quickly looked back at his paper. Blossom sighed and glanced at Ms. Keane, who mouthed a 'thank you'. Blossom smiled and leaned closer.

"So...what are you having trouble with?" She asked diplomatically. Still, her voice carried a definite edge. Boomer laughed sheepishly and scratched his messy hair.

"Uh...everything?" Blossom smacked her head and sighed. She'd figured as much, Boomer wasn't a shining star of brilliance.

"Alright, but what are you having trouble with right now?" Boomer blinked and looked down at his paper. He rubbed his chin and picked up his pencil. He sighed and pointed to the first blank.

"What's the answer to this one?" Blossom stared at him, a look of utter disbelief on her face.

"...That's where you write you name, Boomer..." She said in an incredulous deadpan. Boomer looked down at the paper, then back at Blossom, eyes narrowed and a look of serious concentration on his face.

"How do I spell it?" Blossom pushed her gaping mouth closed. He was serious, completely serious. Blossom turned to look at Ms. Keane, who was pink-faced, trying to stifle her giggles. Blossom shook her head and sighed.

"Okay...let's start with the basics..." Blossom muttered. Boomer slowly nodded. He distinctively had no idea what she meant. But...Blossom had to commend his dedication.

* * *

"Man what is he doing? He is so stupid," Brick muttered, glaring in the window at Blossom and Boomer. Butch sat next to him, chuckling in agreement.

"Yeah what a moron," Brick snickered and nodded, grinning down at Butch.

"Getting help from a Sissypuff, what a loser," Butch laughed and slapped his knee.

"Yeah I know! He's such a loser!" Brick and Butch laughed again, halting abruptly when a red ball rolled up next to them. Butch swallowed hard, twitching violently as he started to reach for it. Brick snatched the ball away and scanned the crowd. Buttercup was laughing in the middle of a group of boys.

"Ha! I win again guys!" Brick narrowed his eyes, glaring at the red ball. He stomped through the crowd with a mean laugh.

"You guys are weak! Getting beat by a girl!" He looked back. As expected, Butch had quickly followed him, bouncing and grinning excitedly. Buttercup smirked and shoved her mitt into Brick's chest, knocking him back a step.

"I'm the best on the playground!" She scoffed, grinning smugly. Brick glared, glancing at Butch, who was twitching again. Brick rolled his eyes and shoved Buttercup backward.

"Oh yeah? I bet I can clobber you!" Buttercup laughed and snatched the ball from him, earning her a vicious glare. She twirled it on her mitt, one hand resting proudly on her hip.

"I bet I make you run home crying," Brick's cheeks turned red and his fists clenched tightly. He started to take a swing at Buttercup, but caught himself. Ms. Keane had given the boys a long lecture about fighting, and causing trouble. While he really didn't care, he didn't want to lose another recess listening to her rant and complain. Brick snorted and glared at Buttercup.

"Alright fine! I'll make you eat those words!" Buttercup laughed and threw the ball at him.

"Fine you can start!" Brick clutched the ball tightly he growled and swung it fiercely at Buttercup, her back still to him. The green puff whipped around and caught it, smirking. Brick just snarled in return. Buttercup hurled the ball back at him, both annoyed when Butch snatched it and reared back to throw it.

"Take this Sissy!" Brick snatched the ball from him. The force of the throw sent Butch tumbling forward, hitting his face in the pavement.

"Get lost, I'm gonna beat her!" Brick barked, rushing toward Buttercup dangerously. The green puff just laughed and led him away, though the crowd surrounding the two followed them wherever they went. Butch blushed heatedly, sitting up and rubbing his dirty face. He crossed his arms and swallowed hard, glaring at his retreating brother.

"F-Fine! Y-You suck anyway dude!" Butch frowned and looked around nervously. He slowly stood up, kicking at the pavement, watching the cloud of dust slowly settle again. Looking down, he noticed several chalk drawings covering the black pavement. He blinked and looked around, spotting a group of three people sitting far away, drawing on the pavement. He turned back, watching Brick continue to chase after Buttercup in a frenzy.

"Um...maybe...but...uh..." Butch twitched violently, torn between following the crowd watching the other two, or going to investigate the people coloring the ground. After a painful deliberation, he finally began walking toward the other end of the playground, whistling at the multitude of colorful drawings. He laughed out loud, finding one that was of a lion attacking a weird horse with a horn on its head. Butch wiped his eyes and froze upon spotting the culprit. She looked up at him, her blue eyes locking with his dark green ones.

"Hi Butch! Um...what are you doing?" Bubbles asked with a slight titter. Robin and Mike looked up, the former with a smile but the latter with a nervous shudder. Butch scratched his hair and turned around, spotting the crowd in the distance. He frowned and turned around again. He froze, Bubbles was floating just inches away from him. Butch's face turned bright red and a powerful twitch nearly jerked him off his feet.

"Um...I was...did...you draw these?" He managed to stutter out. Bubbles floated to the ground, beaming with pride at her hard work. Butch swallowed nervously.

"Yup! Do you like them?" She turned on Butch, hitting him again with her big blue eyes. He hadn't noticed before, and frankly he wished he could stop noticing.

"I guess...they're okay...for...for a big fat wimp!" He stumbled over the words, looking away in embarrassment. Clearly even the ruff wasn't convinced by his own choice of words. Bubbles giggled, hands over her mouth. Butch turned to her, glaring and twitching again. Bubbles looked back at Robin and Mike, then turned to Butch with a bright, sweet smile.

"Do you want to color with us, Butch?" Now the Rowdyruff looked completely terrified. He took a nervous step back, craning his neck, trying to find his brother. Brick was locked in the heat of battle, he never even looked in Butch's direction. Butch frowned and looked down at the pavement. His lip trembled slightly, but he quickly looked up and shrugged, a defeated look on his face.

"Uh...s-sure..." Bubbles squealed and grabbed his hand, dragging him over to the others.

"Butch this is Mike and Robin, they're my best friends! Guys this is Butch! He's one of my worst enemies," Butch puffed up with pride, grinning. He faltered, realizing he had nothing cool to say. He sighed and sat down, waving awkwardly. His face twitched, head jerking to the side.

"Um...hi?" There was an awkward moment of silence. The three stared at each other while Bubbles had returned to drawing, singing a happy song. Robin broke the silence first, smiling brightly.

"Hi Butch, nice to meet you," She said cheerfully, returning to her own drawing. Mike laughed nervously and looked away.

"H-Hi...n-nice to uh...yeah..." He stared at the ground, chalk shaking in his hand. Butch frowned and scratched his head. He twitched again when a piece of chalk was held out to him. Bubbles giggled and smiled.

"You'll need this silly!" Butch took the chalk from her. He looked down at the scene the three had created. He bit his tongue, and lowered the chalk to the canvas. A smile spread across his face. He looked up at Bubbles and his face heated up.

* * *

"Boomer! Hey wait, don't leave yet," Boomer dropped to the ground, staring at the girl approaching. He glanced back, but his brothers were already long gone. He frowned and turned back to Blossom with a confused glance.

"Uh...what did I do?" Blossom crossed her arms and glared at him. The blue ruff wilted, taking a nervous step back.

"Listen I...Boomer you..." Blossom sighed and unfolded her arms, resting her hands on her hips. Why was this so hard to say? She was more than arrogant enough to tell him to his face, and he was more than dumb enough to need told in such a way. Blossom cleared her throat and frowned. Maybe the real reason was that she didn't want to really follow through with what needed to be done.

"Why so serious?" Boomer asked, rubbing his chin. Blossom coughed nervously and gave him a stern leer.

"Boomer you need some serious help so...maybe...alright...okay, fine I'll just say it. Boomer will you go with me to the library for a couple hours? You're really, really, really far behind and I wouldn't feel," Blossom trailed off when Boomer shrugged and interrupted her.

"Yeah sure...uh hey..." Boomer suddenly turned red. He swallowed hard. He kicked his feet and shuffled back and forth. Blossom watched intently, it wasn't often she saw the blond boy so intense. Boomer tapped his chin and looked up. He swallowed again and sighed.

"I'm...sorry about...that...thing with the...and you...uh...sorry..." Blossom blinked and a smile tugged at her lips. She managed to hold off a few seconds, before bursting to a peal of giggles. Boomer stared at her in shock, but Blossom waved her hand, diffusing his concern.

"It's...it's okay Boomer...come on, let's go," She still giggled as the two started out the door, "This is going to take a while!" She exclaimed, laughing out loud. Boomer stared blankly as they flew off toward the library. The pink and blue streaks raced across the clear blue sky, through puffy white clouds, and over the metal city below. A dark figure watched the vision, his fingers laced and his eyes burning to match his venomous frown.

**"This Blue Boy...he has made the Red Child laugh...such a simple act, one not of his own doing, and yet. I find that this sudden closeness greatly INFURIATES me!" **Aku gripped the arms of his throne, a growl building in his chest. His stinging chest, clenching so tightly that he was amazed to not be impaled by that accursed sword itself. Aku grabbed his chest, hunching and snarling.

**"These wicked children...have forgotten their purpose, their mission...they have become too close...they provide NO distraction to my...my observations..."** His voice lost its steam and trailed off in the end. What was it he was truly planning? It centered on her, the Red Child. The Deliverer of Darkness felt as though he couldn't even fathom a thought not in some way directed at the powerful child.

**"No...this is not simple curiosity. This child, she will make me unbeatable! No Samurai with a sword of this or any other world could EVER oppose me once I have her!"** Aku rose, holding out his hands. A sphere of energy appeared in his hands. Within it, he could see her, all of her. This was no simple coincidence. As he peered deeper and deeper into the Red Child, Aku felt his chest warm, clench, scream, and tingle. This child, she was to be his.

**"You are a just and powerful adversary...but within you lies something so great...so incredible...that this world dares not to face it! This power...it shall be mine! You, child...shall...be...MINE! AH! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!"** Aku crushed the sphere and arched his back, his maniacal laughter echoing in the deepest reaches of the Pit of Hate.

* * *

"Yes...yes it is coming to fruition. Soon, so very soon, it shall be ready, completed, prepared for use..there is just one vital component missing...what's this? Those rotten children, no! No, I don't even want to look at them. I cannot bear to observe, hear, listen, even think about such accursed, vile, useless creatures! Rest assured...fear not...let it be known that though I've been out of sight, you have not been out of mind. I have seen what you have done. I have watched you in your strength, your weakness, your...divinity...I am not gone, dead, invalid. Just a bit longer...then you will help me dig your own tomb!"

The monitor crackled weakly, smoke rising from the edges as the picture flickered. Frozen on the screen was an image of Blossom, near naked and humiliated. Glowing like an angry goddess.

Octi watched from the smashed computer console. He wore the same mindless, lifeless expression.


	13. Evil in the Night

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: And the story is about to start moving again, this detour into side-plot is coming to a close. And...things can only get darker before they turn pitch black.**

**Chapter 12**

* * *

"So how exactly does it work?" Buttercup asked, arms crossed, watching her sisters carefully. The three stood in the Danger Grid, Ms. Keane monitoring them from the other end. Buttercup had finally convinced her sisters to join her, primarily so that she could force them to teach her their new attack.

"It's kind of complicated, and like we said before. We really don't like doing it," Blossom explained, mitt to her chin. Bubbles nodded, her hands clasped behind her back.

"Yeah, it makes us really dizzy..." She muttered. Buttercup rolled her eyes and clenched her fists, determination set in her eyes.

"I don't care! It was really strong, and I hate being left out! Teach me!" She shouted, narrowing her eyes toward the end. Blossom sighed and rubbed her shoulder, glancing back toward the window. On the other side, Ms. Keane was grading the tests they took earlier that day. The Hotline still hadn't rang. They certainly had the time.

"Well alright, but don't get frustrated if you don't get it right away, it's pretty hard. Bubbles and I just...it was really lucky that it worked the first time, we had to practice a lot to get it where it is now," Buttercup nodded, stepping back as Blossom and Bubbles stood side by side. Bubbles turned, facing more towards Blossom, leaning lower while Blossom leaned backward. Blossom cleared her throat and looked at Buttercup.

"Alright...so the important part is the Screwdriver. This is done by achieving just the right amount of equilibrium in the air and altering one another's flight pattern to create a drilling movement, like so," Blossom pushed off the ground, flying in very slow motion. Bubbles stepped toward her, linking her arm through Blossom's while her sister went over top of her. Blossom tugged upward on Bubbles' arm, lifting her off the ground. At the same time, Bubbles tugged on Blossom's arm, pulling her underneath her. The result was the two swirling slowly around each other.

"See? It may look easy, but that's only because we've practiced. If one of us pulls too hard, we through the other off balance. If someone spins too fast, you go out of control. It's very delicate..." The two came out of the spiral and landed, Blossom grinning smugly at Buttercup, "Which is why I don't think you can do it," Buttercup growled and clenched her fists, stomping up next to Blossom.

"I'll show you I can be delicate! C'mon, Red, let's do this," Buttercup enunciated the insulting nickname, relishing in the way Blossom bristled and glared. Blossom turned, leaning back slightly. She frowned, noticing that Buttercup was doing the same movement.

"No that's wrong, you're supposed to go under, lean forward," Buttercup huffed and crossed her arms.

"Why do I have to go under? I can lead just as good as you!" Blossom groaned and put her hands on her hips, leaning toward Buttercup.

"See? That's the attitude I was talking about! It's not about leading, Buttercup! Just go under me and we can work on the pull. That's the hardest part," Buttercup scowled, but begrudgingly leaned forward, facing toward Blossom as she'd seen Bubbles do before. Blossom nodded and leaned back, getting into position.

"Okay...one...two...three!" Blossom pushed off the ground and flew slightly around Buttercup, linking arms with her sister. Buttercup stepped forward and roughly yanked on Blossom's arm, pulling her around and face first into the ground. Buttercup paused and blushed, crossing her arms.

"W-What? I didn't know how hard you were going to pull!" Blossom hissed and rubbed her sore face, sitting up and glaring at Buttercup.

"Be...gentle...delicate...like...a flower..." The green puff rolled her eyes, but nodded and the two got into position again. Blossom pushed off, going over Buttercup and linking arms with her. Buttercup waited until she felt Blossom pull on her arm, pulling back with the same strength. She flew into the air too fast and the two went spiraling out of control, landing in a heap on the ground. They bitterly pulled away from each other, throwing flustered glares as much as insults.

"Buttercup! Are you even trying!? You. Need. To. Focus!" Buttercup blushed and shoved her mitt into Blossom's chest.

"I'm trying! You're just mad because you're a bad teacher!" Blossom blushed and narrowed her eyes, sparks flying between them. Several more attempts at performing a slow spiral were made, all ending in the same painful failure. Blossom sat up, tears in her eyes, rubbing her very sore face. There was a budding red spot on her forehead from constant faceplants.

"I can't take this anymore! You just can't do it! I...I need to go get some Tylenol..." Sniffling, Blossom stomped to the door, throwing another harsh glare over her shoulder at Buttercup. The green puff sighed and glared at the door, which almost seemed to slam shut despite being on a slider. Buttercup turned to look at Bubbles, who smiled sheepishly.

"Um...I could try to help you learn Buttercup," Buttercup blinked and smiled gratefully. She jumped to her feet.

"Are you sure? You...you think I can do it?" Bubbles tilted her head back and forth, considering the question. Really she was just teasing Buttercup, she liked making her tomboy sister squirm for once. Bubbles giggled and nodded, grabbing Buttercup's hand.

"Of course! We just gotta keep practicing! C'mon, I'll let you go on top," Buttercup smiled and nodded, leaning back as she'd seen Blossom do. Bubbles stepped forward as Buttercup flew over. The two linked arms and with a slight tug, Bubbles ended up thrown into the air. Buttercup swallowed and laughed sheepishly, catching Bubbles as she fell back to the floor.

"Sorry...I just can't get that right," Bubbles giggled and waved her hands, shaking her head.

"No way that was fun! Just...you're trying too hard. You gotta trust me, it'll work, I promise," Buttercup blushed and set her sister down. She sighed and glared at the door. She had no reason to not trust Bubbles. At the very least, she wanted to learn to spite Blossom.

"Alright, let's try it again," Bubbles smiled and the two got into position once more.

* * *

"James...please pick up this is very important. Please...oh! Hello James!"

"Cassie? What time is it there? I'm so sorry, I've been away from my phone..."

"No, it's alright James! You're very busy, it's understandable...speaking of which. Have you made any discoveries?"

"I think...I'm on the trail of something. I can't make any promises, but it just feels...right,"

"That's wonderful! Oh James, the girls will be so happy to hear that you're doing well. I'm so happy to hear you're doing well...it's been very strange without you around,"

"Oh um...well I...I...yes. I've...missed you as well Cassie,"

"Oh James...no, no I don't have time to get sidetracked. James, there is something very important I need to discuss with you,"

"What would that be? Are...are the girls alright? Please say they aren't hurt! Oh my babies, I'll come home right now! Wait...why are you laughing?"

"Jim, you are so funny! Relax, your girls are just fine! In fact...they've even been making some new friends,"

"That's...wonderful news. For a second there I thought..."

"Well you see...I'm calling you not just as a worried guardian but...as a worried teacher as well,"

"Oh no! God why did this have to happen? No! Oh I knew I should have never left...you're laughing again..."

"Jim, pleas you have to stop! I'm going to wake the girls up! Oh...oh just a moment...I need to catch my breath...alright...okay..."

"Cassie, what's wrong?"

"Well James, you see...Blossom has been very distracted lately,"

"Oh? That's very unusual...she loves school! How are her grades?"

"Well they're the same as always, of course! Whether she's paying attention or not, she's very, very far ahead of the rest of the class. I actually have her tutoring another student now...no I can't brag about her. This is too important,"

"What seems to be the problem?"

"James I just...I don't know how to say this...I've never had this problem. At least not to this degree. It's common for little girls to have crushes but-"

"WHAT?! M-My baby has a crush?! On whom?! What's he like!? Tell me everything! I am coming back immediately! This is unacceptable, my daughter needs me! Oh no, she must be acting out because I left. Oh God where did I go wrong?! We'll need to get a counselor and...Cassandra you really need to control yourself! This is a serious issue!"

"Jim! Stop it please! Oh my Lord, please stop! Please...oh...James...there is nothing wrong with Blossom having a crush. It just...well we can agree that she is very mature for her age, yes?"

"Well yes...yes I'm sorry, Cassandra it's just..."

"No I understand...but James...I don't know if I should talk to her or not, I wanted your input. The looks I see on her face...it's very different from the time Buttercup had a crush on Ace,"

"Um...who was that?"

"He's the leader of the Gangreen Gang. It didn't last very long,"

"Oh well that's good...what about Blossom though?"

"Well she's been...oh how can I explain this? James I think she's...having very...mature...problems. She doesn't act like a little girl with a crush, she acts like a teenager,"

"Um...well...I'm not quite sure...I follow you..."

"I knew this would be difficult...well you see...James I think I...Blossom needs to be told about certain...workings of the body. Workings that I'm sure you were not looking forward to discussing,"

"...Oh...oh...OH! Oh my...oh...but how? She's only...but..."

"Well James, it's not uncommon in children. I just think she's very confused right now. She locks herself in the bathroom, she's not sleeping at nap time, and though she seems nervous at bedtime...she seems very excited as well,"

"Well...Cassandra you are...infinitely more well-versed in these matters than I could ever claim to be. I...trust you, and I will respect whatever decision you make,"

"James...then I'll talk to her...I'm sorry to keep you from your work,"

"No, I'm sorry to keep you awake so late. Sweet dreams Cassie...tell my girls I love them,"

"Of course James...good luck..."

* * *

The day had rolled on at a regular pace. Hostilities were are the lowest they'd been since Jack Wednesday arrived with the newest students. As the class began their weekly history lesson, the course of things took a sudden change for the surreal. Though, in recent times the classroom dynamic had suffered a notable lag with Blossom's steady withdrawal.

"Now does anyone remember the name of our first president? Yes Buttercup!" Ms. Keane grinned brightly; she was always thrilled when Buttercup answered a question that didn't involve her being in trouble.

"George...Washington?" The smile on her face grew as Ms. Keane nodded and leaned against her desk, looking at her notes.

"Very good Buttercup! Now, continuing our review for Friday's test...what is the name of the national landmark that has four of our presidents carved into it?" Ms. Keane had finally found a subject Buttercup took a liking to, the green puff's hand shot up in the air, among the others. Ms. Keane giggled, very proud of her class.

"Oh my! A lot of answers! Let's ask..." She was cut off by a sharp answer near the middle of the room.

"Mount Rushmore!" Brick belted out, turned around in his seat, fierce glare locked on Buttercup. Buttercup smirked and rolled her eyes, shrugging with effortless nonchalance. Ms. Keane sighed and shook her head. She paused, a thoughtful smile spreading across her lips. If there was a surefire way to increase productivity, competition certainly factored into it.

"That's correct Brick...but I don't make me remind you again, please wait for your turn to answer," Brick shrugged and crossed his arms, meeting Buttercup's glare. Ms. Keane bit her lip, almost feeling guilty. Almost, but she had to admit, it was cute to watch.

"Who discovered America in 1492?" Both hands went up, Brick's just a bit quicker than Buttercup's. Buttercup gave Ms. Keane a pleading look, but Ms. Keane shook her head and turned to Brick.

"Yes Brick?" Brick grinned, sticking his tongue out at Buttercup.

"Columbus!" Ms. Keane nodded, checking the question off her notes. She noticed that, with few exceptions, the students were looking at her in confusion. Ms. Keane glanced at Buttercup and Brick, seeing that their attention was drawn, and quickly winked at the others. Before too long, the classroom was divided into two factions, each quietly rooting for their pick of the two. Ms. Keane was giddy with excitement. It wasn't every day that the students were this enthralled in her lecture.

"Okay...here's the last question...who...wrote the Declaration of Independence?" Two hands shot up at blinding speed. Ms. Keane looked around the room, the rest of the class trying to help influence who she called on. The teacher bit her lip, looking back and forth between the two.

"And let's here from...Buttercup!" Brick slammed his hand down on the table, groaning and falling face first against the hard surface. Buttercup jumped up in excitement, showing educational enthusiasm for the first time anyone could remember. She laughed smugly, hands on her hips.

"Thomas Jefferson!" Ms. Keane clapped, laughing.

"Very good job!" The bell rang, just at that moment, signaling the call to recess. Brick jumped up from his seat in a fury.

"That's not fair! C'mon I'll clobber you at dodgeball!" Buttercup laughed and hovered over to her newly formed adversary.

"Yeah right! You're about to get beat by a girl, again!" Brick's face turned bright red, and with a sideways grin, he and Buttercup were outside, a crowd of students flying after them. Blossom started to float towards Boomer's table, but Ms. Keane shook her head, smiling at Boomer.

"Boomer, you go ahead and go out to recess," Boomer stared back in confusion, looking back at Blossom, who was frowning. Boomer frowned and looked at Ms. Keane.

"But why? I wanna learn more..." He said, blinking at the end of his own sentence. Ms. Keane patted his head.

"I know Boomer, and you have improved a lot since Blossom started working with you! I am very proud of you, but I need to have a private talk with Blossom. So you can go have fun today," Boomer frowned and looked at Blossom again, rubbing his chin.

"But...this is kinda fun..." Ms. Keane sighed and knelt down beside the blue ruff, touching his shoulder and smiling as sweetly as she could manage.

"Boomer, please go play outside. Alright? This is a reward for improving so much," Boomer nodded, getting up. He shrugged at Blossom before floating out the door. Ms. Keane noted the pout on Blossom's lips and cocked her head. Maybe...it was Boomer?

"Blossom are you alright?" Blossom blinked and snapped back, facing Ms. Keane with a soft blush.

"Yeah, of course, Ms. Keane. I'm fine...what...what did I do wrong?" Ms. Keane glanced at the window, then sat down at the ruff's desk, motioning for Blossom to join her. Blossom sat down, feeling ashamed though she had no clue why. Ms. Keane wrapped her arm around Blossom, giving her a very firm, very loving hug.

"Blossom...we need to have a very important talk. One that...I'd appreciate staying just between us, and I know you would as well," Blossom blushed and stared at the desk. Just by her reaction, Ms. Keane was sure the little girl knew where the conversation was going.

"Alright...you promise?" The teacher was, once again, amazed by how young the little girl seemed at times. She smiled and nodded, lowering her voice.

"Blossom, you've been acting very strange lately. I am very worried...your grades are just fine, but it seems like you aren't paying attention in class," Blossom flushed and refused to look up. Ms. Keane rubbed her arm, shocked at the degree of tension in her little body. The pink puff's lips trembled momentarily, but she quickly wiped her eyes, never once raising her head.

"I'm sorry..." Ms. Keane sighed, keeping a firm, comforting hold on her.

"Blossom is alright...I'm just worried...is there something you want to tell me?" Blossom bit her lip and shook her head. Ms. Keane nodded, leaning closer and lowering her voice, "If I can guess, will you tell me?" Blossom shrugged, a tremor running through her. Ms. Keane nodded once again.

"Blossom...it seems to me like you have a crush on someone, is that it?" Her breath caught in her throat, no doubt Ms. Keane's assumption had been correct. She decided to push her luck and see if she could get further details, "And...because of the way you're acting, I think it might be someone you...believe you shouldn't?" There was a brief moment of silence, but slowly Blossom nodded her head. She quickly wiped her eyes again. The auburn-haired girl's cheeks were the same shade of pink as her eyes.

"Y...Yes," Finally a response, and the one she'd expected. Ms. Keane smiled and gave the puff a squeeze.

"It's alright Blossom...you can tell me anything," Blossom quickly shook her head, another tremor rolling through her body. The puff was so tense, her body felt like it was made of steel.

"No, I don't want to..." Ms. Keane nodded and sighed, sitting up, though keeping her comforting arm around Blossom's shoulders.

"Well...I just want you to know that what you're...experiencing is perfectly natural. There is nothing wrong with you," Blossom looked up, a sideways glance, but definitely an improvement. Ms. Keane smiled, carefully turning Blossom's face so that the two were making eye contact.

"Are you sure? What...what should I do?" Ms. Keane tapped her chin, looking up at the ceiling.

"Well...you could always tell the person how you feel," Blossom's face went beat red, and once again she became obsessed with the structure of the table. Ms. Keane giggled and gave her student a tight hug and, after a moment's deliberation, a kiss on the forehead, "You don't have to...but maybe if you know how this person felt, you wouldn't be so worried?" Blossom shifted her weight back and forth, eyes twitching from side to side.

"Maybe you're right..." She finally whispered. Ms. Keane beamed, gasping when Blossom gave her a sudden hug. Blossom wiped her eyes again and looked up at Ms. Keane with a smile.

"Thanks Ms. Keane..." Blossom looked down, a wry smile spreading across her lips, "You should tell your Special Person how you feel," Now it was Ms. Keane's turn to turn beet red. Blossom giggled and floated toward the door, waving before hurrying to enjoy the little bit of recess remaining. Ms. Keane sat back in the tiny chair, blushing and staring at the floor.

'My Special Person...' she mused, a shy smile painted on her lips.

* * *

That night, the air grew chilly. The temperature had dropped to the lowest all Spring. The Utonium household was pitch black, save for a hall light, pouring into a bedroom only two-thirds occupied. A pair of bare feet floated down the stairs, just barely brushing against the soft carpet. She ran her hand along the wall, smiling when the kitchen window came into view, moonlight pouring in to light up the sink. She hovered up to the cupboard, taking out a glass and filling it with cold water. While she sipped, she stared up at the moon, debating.

"You...don't have to keep hiding...I know you're there..." The darkness behind her shifted and a wicked figure grew from the blackness. The silence of the kitchen, now broken only by the water slushing in her cup, and his eyebrows flickering in the darkness. The scant few feet between them seemed like light years to the demon. He cleared his throat, narrowing his eyes softly.

**"How long have you been aware of Aku's presence, child?"** Blossom giggled and took a sip of her water, still staring at the full moon outside. For once, she wasn't working on overdrive. Her mind wasn't racing...now that duty was taken up by her heart. It was pounding fiercely, her blood was pumping through her like fire. She turned and faced him, sighing and biting her lip.

"I...don't know...I think...from the beginning," He frowned and stared at her. She was...brilliant, he couldn't put that beyond her capabilities. Now, as the moonlight hit her, reflecting off her large eyes, giving a blue tint to her white skin, he felt his chest tightening. The Shogun of Sorrow resisted the insatiable urge to clutch his chest...and the near unstoppable desire to snatch her away.

**"It is dangerous...and most foolish to play such games with a monster such as Aku, child. Surely one of your intellect knows this to be true," **Blossom nodded, clasping her cup tightly. She felt light-headed, her chest was fluttering. Every time his form shifted, she dreamed she saw him getting closer. She blushed, her breath caught in her throat. She could almost feel his cold touch stroking her hair, could almost feel his tongue against her cheek.

"I know...it's stupid...I'm not usually like this," Aku smirked, finally looking away. Of that much, there was no doubt. Nothing about this child could be described as stupid. He turned back to her, narrowing his flaming eyes.

**"What is it you want from Aku?"** Blossom froze, struggling to resist the urge to drop her glass. She swallowed hard, gasping and catching her breath. The rough...yet silky texture of his voice was paralyzing. So heavy and formal...so ancient. She licked her lips and lowered her eyes to her feet.

"I don't know...but it's my job to defeat you," Aku chuckled, shaking his head. He edged closer, his fingers clutched like talons. He tenderly stroked her cheek, an act he'd only allowed himself when she wasn't awake. Blossom's mouth fell open, a small moan escaping her lips. He leaned in close, red eyes piercing her trembling pink ones.

**"You cannot hope to defeat Aku, child,"** Blossom gasped, dropping her glass as a powerful shiver hit her. A tendril streaked out from Aku's shifting form, catching the glass before it could smash. He sat it on the counter, his eyes never once leaving hers. Aku felt a rush like no other. His mind had gone completely and utterly blank, every last thought replaced by her. By this Red Child now in his grasp. He tenderly stroked her cheek, brushing her hair away from her beautiful face.

"I...I...I..." She gasped out, struggling to speak. Though he didn't need to breathe, Aku felt a suffocating sensation fall over him as she began to float closer. Her eyes began to drift shut, the distance between their faces shortening. His chest exploded with unimaginable pain.

Aku cried out, a strangled and foreign sound. He turned to stare at her, the same impossible pain—greater than any magical sword—rushing through his searing chest. He trembled and vanished into the darkness. Blossom, hovering more than seven feet off the ground, slowly opened her eyes. She barely noticed the few tears rolling down her cheeks. He hand went to her chest, holding it tightly. She felt like she was drowning.

"Aku..." There was a loud noise, a sizzling sound, to her left. Blossom gasped, and turned as quickly as she could. Too late, an explosion of orange went off in her face, slamming her against the refrigerator and dropping her, powerless, to the ground. Blossom moaned, forcing her eyes open. She watched the shadowy figure stalk through the dark kitchen. As the moonlight hit him, a wicked glint in his pink eyes, she whimpered in terror. As he stepped out of the light, the darkness overtook her.


	14. The Madness of Mojo Jojo Pt 1

**Endless Possibilities**

**The Madness of Mojo Jojo Pt. 1

* * *

**

The air was a cacophony of whirring rudders, bubbling liquids, and beeping machines. The lights were intense, but low, barely lighting the chilling jungle of metal. In a short span of time, the once meticulous and clean laboratory had become a junk yard, all piling toward a single goal. At the center of the room, a glass tube rose up, filled completely with orange liquid. Encased in the tube, a little girl floated, breathing through a tube, needles piecing her bare arms, legs, and chest.

"Everything is in place...yes where it should be, connected, ready...it is time to begin..." Mojo looked up at her, resting his hand against the glass. His greatest nemesis. Submerged entirely in Antidote-X, she was ready, prepped for the necessary...evils she'd have to endure for his genius. She could handle it...she could handle anything.

"Yes...absolutely, nothing can break you...no one can break you...you are mighty, powerful, invincible..." Mojo smiled softly. With a chuckle, he spun around and started up the machines connected to Blossom. She was powerful...that was the very first thing he'd noticed about them. About her specifically. Even if she'd been only a small child, lost in the rain, she had been strong. They had needed her strength. He...had needed her strength. Mojo pulled a lever, watching with a dangerous glint in his eyes. She jerked violently, tugging weakly at the cords stuck in her body.

"You were instrumental in my first plan...my very first bid for world domination...my initial strike against the human race.." Her strength had helped build his laboratory. Without that godlike power, perhaps none of his schemes, his plans...his very identity would have come to fruition. Mojo Jojo turned his attention to the console, knocking away the loose parts and screws. He pushed a button and Blossom arched her back, screaming into her air mask. Black liquid began to pump through the tubes connected to her body, pouring through a filter and collecting in a massive metal structure in the back.

"Yes, real...true Chemical X...yes this is the final ingredient...that will sow your destruction, my Blossom..." The simian scientist stalked up to the glass tube, pressing his hands against the case. She relaxed, going limp and hanging helplessly as the machine clicked off and the suction stopped. Mojo chuckled and walked back through the laboratory, grabbing some tools as he went. He sat down next to the metal structure hidden in the shadows. He flipped open the side, examining the circuit board and looking over the multitude of consoles connected to it.

"From that day, you have proven an irremovable thorn in my side, a pain, a stitch, a parasite that will never leave me..." He sighed, sweat pouring down his face. He wiped his damp fur, but to no avail. He narrowed his pink eyes and shook his head. Mojo set out, pumping more effort into his machine. It was still a ways from completion; without the most vital, most important, most powerful component he had been unable to complete it. Now...that component was in his grasp. Mojo slowly turned away from his machine, staring at his captive.

_Everything was a blur around me...it felt like I was covered in jelly, drowning with no way to come up for air. I tried moving, but my body felt so weak...so tired...so powerless. I couldn't even open my eyes, and I...I was afraid._

_Where was I? What had happened? I remembered...I spoke with Aku. He ran from me just as I was...as I was about to tell him that he was my special person. Before I could...return the favor. I could still hear the sound, glass breaking? I turned and everything began to get fuzzy. The only thing I could remember clearly was...eyes. Eyes watching me, coming closer. Then everything went to black._

_My powers were very faint, very far away. So far that I couldn't...I wasn't even sure they were there anymore. I was terrified...so scared. All my life, I had felt an invisible hand pressing down on me. __But I had...I'd always been able to fight back but not now. No, not now...now the hand was completely crushing me. My worst fears had finally come true. I was...helpless. Worse, I didn't even know what had happened to me or where I was._

_Was...whoever did this...was he going to hurt me? Wh...what did he have planned? I couldn't move very well, I wasn't totally awake, but I did know that I was naked. As frightened as I was, my heart wasn't pounding. In fact, it felt like it was barely beating at all. Locked in slow motion with the rest of my limited world. So many questions...so much...oh...oh no! What is that?!_

_AHHHHHH! I tried to scream, but something covered my mouth, holding it back. I tried to tear away from the pain, but my movement was sluggish and futile. I had no idea what he was doing to me, but it felt like something was trying to suck my bones out of my body. I was on fire, with no way to escape. The darkness I seemed to be trapped in grew thicker and heavier, my own mental screaming was fading out._

_The pain cut off abruptly, and I fell back limply, hanging suspended in...whatever it was I had been imprisoned. I felt everything begin to slip away...I was so tired...hurting so bad...who had kidnapped me? Who...was doing this to me and why? Even...even if these questions were more important...I remembered how it felt. His hand touching my face so gently...so...why...did he run away? Why did he leave me? _

_Aku where are you? Did...I do something wrong? Please tell me...whisper to me before...before I...before I f..._

She was asleep again, he reasoned. Mojo observed her more closely, noticing that she was more limp than before. He scurried over to the machine, checking her vitals. She was running on the lower end, but it was still within safe levels. Mojo smiled and patted the capsule once more.

"Your pain shall not be in vain. You shall be vindicated, absolved, validated through my victory. It is my triumph that shall justify this treatment, and this treatment shall be justified by my victory!" Mojo chuckled and sat back in a recliner, set up in the middle of the machinery. It was as out of place as the puff herself.

Mojo kicked off his boots and yawned, stretching his arms and bringing up the footstool. He smiled and turned his attention to the side, to a record player. He set the needle on the record and laid back, closing his eyes. The scratchy sound of the record filled the dim laboratory.

~I don't want to set the world on fire,

I just want to start a flame in your heart~

In the background, a shelf toppled over, knocking into an old machine and sending it crashing to the floor. Smoke trailed around the metal creation Mojo's attentions had previously been focused on. A monitor, previously his most used for spying in town and watching old footage, began to sizzle. An image of Aku, standing victorious over the Powerpuff Girls, flickered into view. The screen flashed and exploded, showering sparks across the room. Mojo opened his eyes and smiled, rocking gently.

She was a powerful creature...practically invincible. To have her completely powerless in his grasp, it was a dream come true. A fantasy he had only scarcely imagined possible. But now here she was, all of her awesome power at his mercy. She, the perfect little girl, was in his grasp.

"I must rest now, relax, prepare myself for the coming night..." Mojo yawned and snatched the alarm click sitting next to his record player. He set it for just ten minutes later, and dropped it, letting it clatter on the floor next to him. His attention, once again, fell upon his captive. His trophy. His nemesis...his equal.

She exceeded him in power...there was no doubt. Mojo swallowed, his eyes tracing her entire body. She was, possibly, the most powerful creature ever born. Made by a man to right the wrongs of the world. Made by man to save the world. The most powerful creature ever born, made by man. Powerpuff Girl, Blossom...deus ex machina. God from the machine. By her, he noted with a dark grin, the world would be saved...it would be saved indeed. Mojo closed his eyes, and drifted off to a brief sleep.


	15. The Madness of Mojo Jojo Pt 2

**Endless Possibilities**

**The Madness of Mojo Jojo Pt. 2**

* * *

_Time drifted in and out...at random. Sometimes I began to wake, only to find myself falling asleep seconds later. Others...I couldn't even tell the difference between waking and dozing. I hadn't even been able to open my eyes yet...how was I supposed to know if time was moving at all? That's...stupid, time doesn't stop moving. But it felt like it to me. I wonder...were my sisters looking for me? Had they...had they even noticed I was gone? If they...if they did...were they...were they sad?_

_It's stupid to consider...they should be sad, why wouldn't they be sad? But...then I remembered the time I ran away from home. They hadn't even...hadn't even cared. Buttercup just took over...Bubbles let her...then there was that time when...when Bubbles said Buttercup should be the leader. Am I just in the way? Maybe...maybe they'd be happier without me._

_What about the Professor? Would...would he be sad to know I was gone? It's not like I was ever his favorite. That's Buttercup, even if she doesn't know it. But I know it...I've always known it. Buttercup was his tough little girl, Bubbles was his sweet little angel. I was supposed to be...supposed to be his protege, the one to follow in his footsteps...the smart one. But was I ever really good enough? He always seemed...so uninterested..._

_Will anyone miss me if I'm gone? I...stop to consider that question more thoroughly. I remember how...when Buttercup and Bubbles ruined my hair, everyone in town laughed at me for weeks until it grew back in; they kept laughing even after it was somewhat presentable. I remember how everyone pointed and laughed at me, just because I fell in some paint...a lot of paint. I remember how everyone was so angry with me, how they all tried to make me look stupid when I was accepted into that advanced school. I remember all of them...staring at me, watching me get beaten, tortured and humiliated. They all just stood and watched...the answer couldn't be more clear._

_Of course they'll miss me. They'll miss having someone...someone to make fun of. Someone to laugh at. Someone to bring down so they can feel better. But...no it's alright. I deserve it...right? I shouldn't be such a know-it-all...such a goody-goody. Just...I...no it's fine...I have to be strong. I have to be so strong. That's what leaders do. Leaders are strong, they're determined...they...they...  
Someone...please miss me. Please come look for me...Bubbles...Buttercup...please...save me...I need to get out. I need to f-find him, I need to know what I did wrong. I don't care if everyone else hates me, I just don't want him to...I just want him to tell me what I did wrong..._

Mojo huddled over a cramped metal table, pouring over a blueprint, sketching out and scribbling out possible plans of attack. He groaned and tore a long gash in the paper, his eyes shifting around worriedly. He had to be quick, he had to be swift, fast, precise, perfect...everything she was if he planned to win. This was it, this was to be the final stand, the final showdown, the last dance with Mary Jane. A light overhead exploded and sparks showered down around him. Mojo stumbled through the wreckage, picking up bits and pieces.

"Perfect, everything must be perfect. Absolutely, completely, totally, and perpetually perfect. Nothing else will do. There is no other qualifier, adjective, state of being that will suffice," Mojo began connecting the parts to his metal pile. He chuckled, shaking his head and recalling one of his more ingenious schemes. She was in a rut, a jinx, a series of unfortunate events. In her moment of weakness, he struck, attacking the weaker sisters.

"Everything was flawless...victory was the only possible outcome! But you...you...you brilliant...perfect...you found a way, a flaw...a solution," An oversight that had proved his undoing. Single-handedly, she unraveled his plan and defeated him. Oh but that wasn't the first time, was it? No...no there were many more. So many more times, yes?

"Yes...so many more times. Chewing gum...a plan that worked exactly as it should, even in the hands of those Amoeba Boys...yes even in their stupid hands, my plan worked so well, so excellently..." But the most carefully laid plans always collapsed, always failed. Mojo couldn't win for losing when she became involved. In every way...she was his equal.

"My equal yes...she is my equal, my only equal," Yes, his counterpart...his foil...his...other...half. Mojo swallowed hard and dropped his arms to his sides. He turned and stared at her, blood rushing through him like lava through a volcano. In all the world there was only one he could call his opposite, one who could possibly...complete him so perfectly. She perfectly defeated him, she perfectly completed him.

"Perfect...she's perfect...so powerful...so...brilliant. Such intellect is wasted on those miserable humans, wasted on pitiful justice and peace! They dull your glow but Mojo...yes Mojo sees, and Mojo knows...Blossom," Her name was like a delicious nectar, caressing his tongue, fading gently into the air as it passed through his lips. To speak her name was a pleasure, a joy like no other. He trembled, merely thinking about her precious name. A name so...fabulously fitting.

"Yes, a blossom...no other word could capture the...the infinite possibility you possess. So much power...so much intellect...so perfect...yes you will be the cornerstone, the foundation, the pedestal upon which Mojo's world shall be built! It is in your likeness that this world shall be remade, reconstructed!" Mojo chuckled and turned to his metal pile, clipping a few wires and re-routing a few circuits. It was nearing completion. His grand, master plan. His final fantasy was becoming a reality. His darkest dream would finally be realized. Yes, once he washed his hands in her omnipotent blood...he would finally know true peace, finally know victory, finally have what it was he desired so...horribly.

"This is it. The end of my quest. The stopping point of my journey. Once I have bested and defeated you, Blossom Utonium...I may finally have peace. Tranquility, and the contentment I have not yet been allowed. The goal I suddenly need will finally be achieved..." Mojo cackled and dropped his tools, wrapped in peels of mad laughter. The record player, still playing the same song, suddenly skipped and began repeating the same line over and over again.

~In my heart I have but one desire

and that one is you, no other will do~

Mojo cackled, louder and louder, tears streaming down his grizzled face. A computer toppled over, the keys shooting from the keyboard one by one, leaving behind only three. The monitor hit the floor, shattering and somehow catching on fire. Every screen in the room flashed on, even those without power. Every screen bore the image of the Powerpuff Girls in standard attack formation. Mojo slowly calmed down, huddling over and giggling wildly.

_I came back...I don't know how long I was out. Really, I didn't know anything anymore. I knew...basic things. My body was freezing...I was so wet, any tears I may have cried were lost in...whatever it was I was stuck in. I hurt all over, even though I felt numb. It was getting worse, in just a few spots. Thankfully, whatever had tried to pull me out of my skin before had stopped..._

_My eyes were heavy, so heavy...so tired...but if I tried really hard, I could make my eyelids flutter. I struggled, clenching all of my muscles—I was frightened to see how hard even that was. I forced my eyes open, moaning silently in pain. I was in...something orange...something that hurt me. Antidote-X...it was keeping me powerless. The antidote was so thick I could barely see, and what I could see beyond the glass holding me was blurry and dark. _

_Faintly, I was able to see a dark shape. The glass was too thick and I was too weak to hear anything, but the shape was moving, rocking back and forth. I moaned again, struggling to figure out where I was. My heart nearly exploded when, suddenly, a beam fell from the ceiling, causing something close to my tube to shatter. Sparks flew everywhere, and it looked like a fire was spreading. Panicking, __I looked around, struggling to move my head. Even that much freedom was denied of me. There were cables stuck in me...hurting me...keeping me still. Another pop and something else began to sizzle. I turned my eyes and my breath...literally stopped. I could actually feel my heart...just quit beating._

_Clear as day...I could see Octi, sitting on a table, staring at me. There were monitors all around him...computers or TVs, I don't know, but every single one had the same image. Every single screen was flickering...and image of us in our victory pose, with the words 'So Once Again the Day Is Saved' over the girls...but...in every single image...I was missing...I turned back to Octi...staring at his blank, somehow evil smile. My head began to swim, my heart began beating again, like a turbine. Everything was going black._

_Someone...anyone...Aku...save me..._


	16. The Madness of Mojo Jojo Pt 3

**Endless Possibilities**

**The Madness of Mojo Jojo Pt. 3**

* * *

"It's finished...yes my perfect creation! My greatest invention is completed! _What did I see before? Was it...really Octi? No...I'm so confused...so scared..._my triumph...no, that is wrong. It is incorrect, inaccurate and furthermore...insulting..." Mojo walked away from his creation, now whirring and, somehow creating an ominous stillness in the ruined laboratory. _What happened? I...something is different...somehow it's even quieter than before...w-what..._The scientist pressed his hands against the tube, eyes hungrily tracing her body.

"You...are perfect. If such a creature without flaw could ever walk this world, it would pale by comparison to you. So powerful, so intelligent...so beautiful. You are the greatest creation of man, the final fantasy...the _pathetic little girl...I'm such a weakling...is that why you ran away? Because you saw me...vulnerable? Is that why you don't..._you, Blossom," Mojo shuddered. There it was again, that wonderful, gloriously wicked feeling. Her name was the most potent poison, the most delicious wine. He whispered it, over and over again. His eyes never left her beautiful, perfect body.

"You are beautiful...and I love you...yes I've said, the words have passed my lips. This secret, shall be held inside me no longer!" Mojo stumbled from the tube, huddling over his work table and finishing the last designs on his greatest plan. An albatross landed next to Mojo, leaning over his shoulder and watching him closely. He chuckled and crumpled up his blue print, staring at it with red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes.

_I keep trying to open my eyes again but...I'm too weak now. Where are my sisters? Girls, please come for me! Please, please look for me! Please, I want you to save me..._Mojo stalked his garbage-ridden observatory. He walked with a slight limp, relaxing and walking normal again with slight effort. The air stank horribly, dark stanks covered the walls, floor, piles of refuse strewn about carelessly. The albatross flew overhead. Mojo sat down at his desk, fingers digging into his fantastical drawings and sketches. He reached into the desk and pulled out a photograph, one of him and the girls at the zoo. _I'm sorry I'm a bad sister just please...I want to wake up again...I can't give up...no I have to be strong, have to be so strong. I clenched my body tightly, every ounce of my strength going to opening my eyes. My eyelids fluttered and slowly I managed to force them open._

An elephant trumpeted and stomped through the lab, the albatross landing on its head. They both stood over the simian scientist, looking up only to greet the dark red lion approaching. The lion nodded and sat down directly behind Mojo, glistening-green eyes almost grinning. Its long black, sharp tail swung forward and gently fell on Mojo's shoulder.

"I love you Blossom Utonium. No one is like you, no one could ever replace, no one could even COMPARE to you. You are unique, perfect, one-in-a-million...you are special. Special to me. Special to Mojo Jojo..._I gasped, staring in awe at the sights before me. I couldn't make out anything of my surroundings. The orange liquid stung my eyes, but I was too tired to even cry out in pain...somehow. Somehow I was able to see certain things perfectly. Clear as day...just as I had seen Octi. There were...animals...all of them were red, with pink frills and glowing green eyes. What in the world _Mojo sneezed and sighed, sitting back in his seat, a satisfied smile on his face. He threw the soiled photograph to the floor, hands dropping to his sides.

"You are my muse, my inspiration...my nemesis and my nightmare! Yes...this is not to be my victory. This is to be our victory. Our triumph. Our greatest moment, yes Blossom. I cannot wait to crush your beautiful, perfect face..." Mojo's red stapler looked around, hopping to the edge of the desk and scurrying into the darkness. It proceeded to brutally beat the printer, knocking it to the floor where the case cracked and splintered. The stapler followed and forced open the paper chute, violently shoving its lower half in over and over again. Red ink spilled from the printer, trickling over the floor where it began to swerve and sweep, creating intricate, sophisticated designs.

_This can't be happening...this has to be a dream...please let me wake up. Please no...no my eyes are getting heavy...I don't want to go back to sleep, please don't! No! Please! I don't want to! I want to wake up! I can't go out again! Someone! SAVE ME!_ The lion chuckled and turned to face the tube where Blossom was kept. A wicked smile spread across its lips. The albatross flew from the elephant's head, and draped its wings, tying them tightly, around Mojo's neck. An ear-shattering scream echoed through the laboratory _WHAT WAS THAT _and the albatross went limp, blood pouring from its mouth. _I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die _Mojo stood up, walking back through the laboratory. The elephant started to follow, but the lion turned on it, slitting its throat and knocking it to the ground. The red-furred predator tore into the elephant's side, ripping open its stomach, tugging out its intestines and splattering its blood all over the floor. The lion lifted its massive paw, slowly crushing the elephant's head. _I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die_ The bones splintered, the sound of liquid squeezing between sharp claws and dribbling on the floor, as the elephant uttered one last cry. With a sudden stomp down, the lion crushed the elephant's skull.

"Where is it...it should be here, as here is where I left it, therefore in this area is where it should be..." The lion stalked passed Mojo, sitting down and delicately licking the blood from his paws. Its green eyes shifted, landing on a device in the corner. A gun _I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die. _Mojo turned over the pile of metal, grinning viciously as he hefted the gun into his arms. He shifted it to positive and marched to the glass tube. Blossom's eyes were barely, just barely cracked open. He could see her trembling pink irises; his grin grew wider. He walked with a slight limp.

_I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die. _The lion watched, an arrogant smirk on his face. Green eyes, glowing maliciously in the darkness, watching her every move. Mojo slowly and menacingly pressed a series of keys on his console. Blossom screamed in shock as the liquid began to drain and she soon found herself suspended, like a puppet, by the chords rammed into her body. As they started to tug, blood began to seep from the incision points, trickling to the floor. Mojo stalked in front of her, but Blossom—her eyes could barely stay open—could only see one thing. Octi sitting on a table, watching her with a smirk.

_I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die _Mojo approached her, lightly fondling her cheek, his hand slipping down across her bare body. Blossom trembled violently, the chords tearing deeper into her arms, legs, and sides. She slowly turned away from Octi, staring into Mojo's warped gaze. Behind him, the lion watched hungrily.

"The time is now...Powerpuff Blossom," Mojo lifted up the gun and leveled it with her face. Blossom trembled, uttering a soft whine. The lion seemed to be laughing; Octi seemed to be grinning.

_I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die, I DON'T WANNA DIE!!!_


	17. brand new eyes

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: One section title is in bold, for those of you who are easily squicked, I would recommend skipping it. It isn't necessary to understand the rest of the chapter.**

**Chapter 16**

* * *

_brick by boring brick_

The morning light dripped in softly through the trio of rounded windows. Steadily it made its way from the foot of the bed, pouring over three slumbering figures. The one closest to the light began to squirm, popping her yellow-towed head from the covers and yawning, a cute and delicate sound. She smiled and looked around the room through still sleepy eyes, rubbing away the sleep and taking in a deep breath of the brand new day. She turned to her sisters, her smile brightening.

"Girls! It's time to get up! It's Friday!" The furthest lump began to move, a dark head popping up, narrowing angry green eyes at her sister. Bubbles only giggled and grinned bright. Buttercup groaned and rubbed her head, yawning obnoxiously loud.

"How are you so stinkin' cheery? I'm still tired from last night..." The yawn proved infectious and Bubbles echoed it with an equally obnoxious one. She smacked her lips and laid back against her pillows.

"Yeah...I'm still really tired too, but we're doing a lot better, aren't we?" Bubbles asked, trailing off when Buttercup's mitt shot to her lips. She shushed her blonde sister and pointed at their still slumbering leader. Bubbles sat up in confusion, pulling her knees to her chest. Buttercup sighed and leaned forward on her mitts.

"Don't let Blossom know yet...I want it to be a surprise. I wanna see the look on her face when I prove her wrong!" Buttercup swallowed and covered her mouth—she'd been growing exponentially louder with every word. Bubbles giggled and nodded, climbing out of bed and floating toward the closet.

"Okay, I won't tell her...but we gotta wake her up! It's time to get ready for school!" Buttercup looked down at Blossom and shook her head, floating out of bed and joining her sister in the closet.

"Let her wake herself up," Bubbles gasped and glared at Buttercup, pulling her dress over her head and adjusting it. She turned to the mirror and started to work on taming her bad case of bed head.

"Don't be so mean Buttercup!" Buttercup licked her hands and matted her hair down, flipping it up with a satisfied smirk. Bubbles stuck her tongue out in disgust, tying her pigtails carefully. Buttercup sat back on the bed, pulling on her stockings and glaring at Bubbles.

"She's the one who's been acting weird! Maybe she needs the sleep," She mumbled in response. Bubbles let her second pigtail fall out and looked, sadly, at her still sleeping sister. Buttercup wasn't lying, Blossom had been acting very, very strange lately. She rarely ever spent time with them; she spent a lot of her time with Boomer at the library or locked in the bedroom. Bubbles turned back to the mirror, tying up her other pigtail again.

"Maybe..." The two looked up at a knock on the door. Ms. Keane peaked her head in.

"Good Morning girls! How did you sleep last night?" Bubbles hushed her teacher, pointing at Blossom. Ms. Keane nodded, entering and sitting on the edge of the bed. She gently shook Blossom, who remained unmoving.

"Blossom...honey, it's time to wake up...sweetie? It's time for school," Bubbles swapped Buttercup spots, now tugging on her stockings. Buttercup scowled and hurried out the door, shutting it with a slight slam. Ms. Keane frowned and shook Blossom a little harder. Bubbles covered her mouth, watching the exchange. The teacher looked up and smiled at Bubbles, nodding for the door. Bubbles smiled and flew out, closing the door very softly behind her. Ms. Keane looked down at Blossom again, sighing in frustration.

"Blossom...sweetie, it's time to get up," Her frustration began to give way to worry. Blossom hadn't moved in the entire time Ms. Keane had been in the room. She pulled the blanket down and relaxed greatly. Blossom was there, and was breathing, but the kindergarten teacher had never seen the little girl sleeping even half as hard as she seemed to be. Blossom was laying on her stomach, mouth open, breathing in deep, breathy gasps. Drool seeped out onto her partially soaked pillow, sticking her cheek the soft white case.

'Oh Blossom...what's going on with you, honey?' Ms. Keane took a deep breath and looked around the room. It wouldn't hurt to give her a few more minutes. She nodded and leaned in close, whispering in her ear, "Blossom...I'll be back to get you up in a few more minutes," Blossom remained unresponsive, unmoving until Ms. Keane was gone and the door was tightly shut. The room remained unmoving, not even a shadow out of place. Octi sat on his perch, staring at Blossom, his smile never changing as she began to stir.

Blossom cracked her eyes open slowly, moaning and barely moving. She groaned loudly pulling her drool covered face away from her pillow and tenderly wiping away the saliva. The pink puff rubbed her stomach and looked around the room dizzily. Her eyes drifted back to her wet pillow; clearly she'd slept hard. Why then, was she so tired?

'What...happened?' She thought, brushing her hair back out of her face. Blossom let out a puff of air, wincing and rubbing her stomach. Her mind was a fuzzy fizzling portfolio of foaming and fading photographs. Was everything just a dream? And if it was...what had she even dreamed about? Blossom shook her head and climbed out of bed. She wandered, walking rather than flying, to the bathroom and climbed up on her step stool, looking at her reflection. Her eyes were a bit bloodshot...but otherwise she looked fine, if a tad frazzled.

"Then why do I feel so..." Blossom swallowed and bent over, holding her stomach. A wave of nausea racked her entire body, nearly knocking her off her feet. She swallowed and stuck her tongue out. She jumped and gasped, looking at the door when a soft knock rang against it.

"Blossom are you in there?" Ms. Keane called gently. Blossom nodded, swallowed again and wiping off her mouth. The pink puff hopped down from the stool and walked to the door, opening it and smiling sheepishly at her guardian. Thankfully, her surrogate caregiver seemed well at ease.

"I'm glad to see you awake, Sleepy Head! Did you not sleep well last night?" Blossom frowned and looked down at her feet. How had she slept? That was the question she seemed to be swirling around. Everything was a purple haze in her brain, she recalled something. Something horrible and terrible...but for all she knew it was just a fading nightmare. Blossom shrugged and smiled as she passed by Ms. Keane, walking to the closet.

"I think I slept alright Ms. Keane. I can't really remember," Blossom replied, a smile forced to her lips. The teacher nodded and gently patted her head, walking to the door.

"Alright, hurry downstairs for breakfast! I made your favorite!" She sang, winking while she strolled out the door. Blossom licked her lips and hurriedly pulled on her dress. Blossom rubbed her stomach and groaned, covering her mouth. Her legs felt weak and wobbly, she stumbled to the bed and laid down. Blossom closed her eyes and waited for the feeling to pass before sitting up and pulling on her stockings.

'What's wrong with me?' She thought, racking her powerful mind trying to recall the night before. She remembered one part...very, very clearly. Blossom blushed and giggled, laying back and staring at the ceiling, kicking her feet dreamily. The rush of exhilaration she felt when he looked into her eyes, the jolt she felt when he touched her cheek, the flutter in her heart when she felt his breath on her face. Blossom's mood fell, her stomach sinking into the bed. Then, just like that, he screamed and ran away.

"Why did you run?" She narrowed her eyes, turning to look at the windows. More importantly, she admitted, was what happened after that. Blossom knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that she had never returned to bed last night. Sighing, Blossom shook her head and walked to the door, heading downstairs to breakfast. Bubbles and Buttercup were already digging into plates stacked with golden brown waffles, smothered in syrup and butter. Blossom licked her lips and took to the air, flying to her seat with a cheerful smile.

"Good morning!" Blossom licked her lips and snatched the syrup, drenching her waffles. Buttercup gave her a curious glance, narrowing her eyes and turning her eyes back to her food. Bubbles giggled and took a big bite, patting Blossom's arm.

"Morning Blossom! You look so happy today...are you feeling better?" Her voice trailed into worry toward the end. Blossom tapped her fork against her lip, thinking for a moment. A smile slowly broke out across her face; her sister wore a matching smile when she nodded in reply.

"Yeah, I feel pretty good today! Thanks for asking..." She wasn't sure why, but Blossom felt inexplicably touched by Bubbles' concern. Her blonde-haired sister only smiled and returned to her breakfast. Ms. Keane pattered around the kitchen, her own breakfast already finished. Her eyes drifted to the clock, though her worry was uncalled for. They were making great time today. The teacher's eyes drifted over the phone and she gasped in surprise. The three little girls looked up in shock.

"Oh that's right! I forgot to tell you girls, the Professor said he'll be calling before your bedtime tonight!" The girls squealed and flew out of their seats, flying around Ms. Keane in an excited fervor.

"Really? Oh my gosh! I have so much to tell him!"

"How is he? Is he alright? Did he find anything?"

"When's he coming back? Soon right? Right?" Ms. Keane giggled and shooed the girls back to their seats, winking and putting a finger to her lips.

"That would be telling girls, I'll let you ask him yourselves!" The girls squealed again and began to chat excitedly. Blossom took another bite of her waffles and froze in mid-swallow. Her stomach flared up and the room span around her in a dizzying display. By the time she blinked, it had long since passed, taking with it what remained of her appetite. The pink puff pushed her plate away and rubbed her stomach, her mouth suddenly dry as cotton.

"Alright girls! It's time for us to go!" The girls laid their dishes in the sink and quickly buzzed around, cleaning up what little mess had been made of the kitchen. Ms. Keane watched them with a smile, glancing out the door. She sighed and rubbed her arms, it was shockingly cold for that time of year. The sky was dreary and covered in dark clouds.

'Hopefully it won't rain...the kids never like to stay in for recess...' She turned, beaming when she found her girls ready. Shoes and backpacks properly equipped, the quartet piled into Ms. Keane's car. Bubbles started to close the door, but Blossom suddenly felt her chest clench up. Sitting between her sisters she felt strangely...contained. She grabbed Bubbles' arm, a bit harder than she meant to.

"Uh...hey! Bubbles can we um...switch spots?" Bubbles blinked in surprise. The crack in Blossom's voice only intensified the almost desperate way she had asked. Bubbles shrugged and took off her seat belt, switching spots with her sister. Blossom sighed in relief, closing the door and leaning against it, staring out at the murky morning. Bubbles watched her curiously, brow knit and hand to her lips. Blossom's previous good mood seemed to have vanished instantly. Bubbles turned to Buttercup, who was trying to stay awake.

"Hey Buttercup..." She whispered, gently shaking her sister. Buttercup snapped awake and yawned. She turned to Bubbles and rubbed her eyes.

"What's up?" She whispered back, raising an eyebrow, "And why are we whispering?" Bubbles glanced back at Blossom; Buttercup rolled her eyes, mouthing an 'oh'. Bubbles nodded and scooted as close as her seatbelt would allow her.

"She's acting funny again!" Bubbles whined, keeping a close watch on Blossom. The last thing they needed was their bossy sister to realize they were talking about her, quite literally, behind her back. Buttercup looked passed Bubbles, scowling at her auburn's sister's back. She leaned back and crossed her arms, shrugging nonchalantly.

"She's been acting funny for a while...just leave her alone. If she doesn't want to talk about it, then who cares?" Bubbles frowned and returned to her previous spot in the middle of the seat. She glanced at Buttercup, staring out the right window. Bubbles smiled, and giggled silently to herself. She could see the sun breaking through the clouds. If things kept going this way, it would be a pretty day. Bubbles, smile still firmly on her lips, turned to look at Blossom. She frowned and sighed, resting her chin on herhands. Blossom was staring out the left window, holding her stomach and leaning against the glass. The sky was still dark and miserable looking in the distance. Bubbles only hoped it would go away before too late.

'Why can't anything be right anymore?' Blossom thought. She clenched her eyes shut, tightly screwing her mouth closed as her head started to spiral once again. The world came to a crashing halt; she feared if she hadn't been sitting it would have knocked her off her feet. Blossom lurched up, hands flying to her mouth when the car finally came to rest in the school parking lot.

"Here we are! It's going to be a very big day girls! I hope you all remembered to study for your history test!" Bubbles and Buttercup chattered excitedly; the latter had studied her butt off to be ready for the test in question. The last of the trio continued staring out the window, watching the dark clouds looming in the distance. The car doors slamming around her snapped her out of her revere. Blossom put on her best smile and flew in to join the others.

_turn it off_

Blossom sat and watched the world flow in slow motion around her. Her classmates poured in, filling up the empty seats. The clock ticked and the world shuddered. Blossom held her head and closed her eyes. The chattering that filled the air created a chaotic dissonance, keeping her mind from focusing. Blossom opened her eyes and looked up. The clock tocked and the world came back into focus. Ms. Keane stood at the front of the room, smiling brightly.

"Good Morning class! I hope you're all ready for your history test!" Blossom held her head, clenching her eyes shut. The overwhelming groan of response pierced through her like a stake. She stayed like that, unmoving, until she heard the rustle of paper sliding against the wooden desk. The puff opened her eyes and looked blearily at the test. She looked up at Ms. Keane, offering her the most sincere smile of the day—completely fake. Ms. Keane smiled in return, though Blossom could see worry etched on her face, clear as day.

'History test? Oh...I don't remember studying for this...' Her own nonchalance would have, any other day, terrified her. Blossom picked up her pencil and wrote her name at the top of the paper, pausing just after finishing the 'm'. Blossom's eyes crossed and the room swam around her. She quickly covered her mouth, looking around nervously. No one seemed to notice; for some reason, she was glad. Taking a brief moment to catch her breath, Blossom walked up to Ms. Keane's desk.

"Um...I need to use the restroom Ms. Keane," Without looking up, the teacher nodded and gestured to the door. Blossom smiled and hurried out, sighing with relief to be out of the stuffy classroom. Though she knew the hallway was short, that day it seemed miles long...the ceiling seemed to reach higher than even she could fly. Blossom rubbed her head, taking a sharp breath when her cold mitt touched her blazing forehead.

'I need to...get to the restroom...' Blossom took a slow, deep breath. She walked with awkward care, delicate precision. Every step counteracted every step; she couldn't keep her breath. Shouldering her way through the heavy door, Blossom breathed a sigh of relief. The painfully white restroom was empty. She walked to the sink and looked at her reflection, brushing her hair away from her face.

'I'm a bit pale but...other than that I look fine, right?' Blossom ran cold water over her hands and splashed it on her face. She swallowed hard, grabbing the edges of the sink. She felt a ripple of pain run through her body and, with all the subtly and grace of a bomb going off, lurched forward and threw up. Blossom bit her lip, ignoring the tears stinging her eyes. She wiped her mouth and hiccuped, sobbing silently. Hands covering her mouth, she took a nervous step away from the mirror, watching the red-tinted vomit stream down the mirror. The room swirled around her and another wave of nausea hit her when Blossom caught sight of her reflection.

* * *

_looking up_

The class dismissed for recess following their history test. The day's usual activities were in full swing, with the centerpiece being the exponentially more epic dodgeball game. Three teams had formed, all with the single-minded goal of crushing the opposition. The first was Team Mitch, the longest running team. Team Buttercup was next, comprised of most of the girls who joined in the dodgeball havoc. Last was the newest, Team Brick. The playground faced a ferocity like never before.

"Alright let's do this! I'll go after Buttercup, you guys take out the rest of them!" Brick commanded, his troops huddled together. With a resolute nod, they broke and faced down their enemies. Standing to the side, the portly young girl Mary, raised a whistle to her lips and blew. The war commenced, and in seconds the casualties were numerous.

Brick leapt over his fallen comrades, snatching one of the red rubber balls and seeking out his target. With some effort, he spotted the dark-haired menace, slunking in the back like a grinch. The red ruff grinned and prowled through the masses like a lion. He shoved anyone that got in his way to the ground, and used anyone nearby as a shield against those who dared attack him. His target was coming closer, soon she'd be in the optimal firing range.

His moment never came, a loud plunk echoed across the playground. Those still in the game turned in shock, watching the red ball roll away from the Rowdyruff boy. Brick stared at it, slowly looking up to face his assassin. Mitch laughed, a gobbling laugh. He threw up devil horns and grinned at Brick.

"Gotcha Ruff! Mitch rocks!" Mitch's team cheered, echoing his sentiment. Brick snarled, ready to lash out at Mitch. Another ball collided with his head. He whipped around glaring at Buttercup, now wracked with barrels of laughter. Red-faced, and humiliated beyond reason, he stomped off to the side. Buttercup turned to Mitch with a vicious leer. Mitch swallowed and took off running, the green puff in hot pursuit. The swing set was, thankfully, a no man's land safe from the tides of war.

Robin sat on one swing, being gently pushed by Mike, who was engrossed in the dodgeball war with a fearful awe. Bubbles sat in the second swing, being pushed with far more vivacity by Butch. She giggled and squealed with every push, nearly flipping over the top bar. Mike turned and watched, envy clear in his expression. Robin peeked back at him and smiled.

"It's okay Mike...I don't want to go that high," Mike looked back at Robin, blushing dark red.

"R-Really...uh...o-okay," Robin giggled and, just to make him even more flustered, gave Mike a kiss on the cheek. True to form, the bashful little boy turned four different shades of red and lost his ability of speech. Bubbles watched her two closest friends, giggling enthusiastically. She spoke quickly, getting in as much as she could in the few seconds she was close to Butch.

"They're so cute aren't they?" Butch blinked and glanced at the other two. He looked back at Bubbles as she swung back and blushed.

"Um...I guess? He's kind of a wuss," Bubbles giggled. When Butch caught her again she giggled deviously.

"So are you when Brick's not around," Butch pushed her hard enough to knock himself down, blushing dark red. When she came back he barely had time to catch her, bringing her to an abrupt halt. He glared at her, his lips trembling.

"I...I'm n-not a wuss!" Butch whispered dangerously. Bubbles giggled and glanced at Mike and Robin. They were still distracted, thankfully. She grinned evilly at Butch and lowered her voice.

"Yuh huh!" Butch growled and gave her a rough shove, sending her looping over the top bar of the swing set. Laughing victoriously, he didn't see her coming back around; Butch ended up on his face, with Bubbles lying on his back. Butch rolled over, face to face with the blonde Powerpuff. Her blue eyes so close, he could see his reflection. Her mouth so close, he could feel her breath. Butch, thought to be the toughest Rowdyruff boy, was completely paralyzed.

"Oops sorry!" She laughed, pushing herself up. The Rowdyruff boy twitched, struggling to swallow the lump in his throat. She looked down at Butch and offered him a helping hand. The green ruff took it warily, staring at her in awe. Bubbles beamed and turned back to Mike and Robin with a grin. No more time for games, though, as the bell rang and a disappointed chorus rang out across the playground. In their trek back to the building, Butch held his hand, staring at it intensely.

_where the lines overlap_

Somehow the school day managed to move even slower. For each of the Powerpuff Girls, it was a painful experience just waiting for the clock to strike three. Ms. Keane's lecture on the mathematics of currency wasn't enough to keep their fancies in focus.

Bubbles kept nervously watching the window. The clouds hadn't broken, and with every passing minute it looked more and more like it was going to rain. Bubbles liked a gentle spring shower. It made the air smell pretty and clean, and made the day cool and refreshing. Bubbles did not like thunderstorms, and the dark clouds did not look like a spring shower.

Buttercup was just itching to tear through the door and race to the arcade. Following the dodgeball showdown, Mitch had challenged Buttercup to a game of air hockey. Brick had overheard and stated that he could beat them both. Buttercup had accepted both challenges. Now every passing second made her more anxious. Made her squirm for the want of combat.

"And so if we have four quarters that means we have...that's right! One dollar," The clock ticked. Blossom stared at her desk, tired but incapable of sleep, in pain but incapable of crying. She took notes, but they were jerked and disconnected. Her mind was a whirlpool; it took all of her effort to just focus on the paper. Her beloved teacher's words went unheard, lost in the cacophony of her own jumbled thoughts. The clock tocked.

"Now...for homework, I'd like everyone to turn to page two hundred fifty-two of your text books. I'd like you all to finish the even numbered problems," Blossom glanced at Bubbles and gasped out loud, drawing her sister's attention. Bubbles blinked and stared back in confusion.

"What's wrong Blossom?" She asked in a low whisper. Blossom pointed beneath her blue-clad sister's chair, where Octi sat. His big, empty eyes were trained on Blossom. Bubbles squealed silently and picked him up, hugging him subtly to her chest.

"Octi! That's funny...I didn't bring him to school...how'd he get here?" Blossom jumped to her feet, her chair sliding back noisily. Every eye in the room turned to her; her cheeks flared up and humiliation set in. The Powerpuff leader walked to the front of the room and whispered that she needed to be excused. Ms. Keane nodded, clapping her hands and getting her students' attention once more. Unfortunately, by that time the bell rang and class was over. Ms. Keane sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"Have a nice day, class! Don't forget about your projects, they're due next week!" The class cheered and charged out the door. Buttercup flew up to her guardian, her best grin on her face.

"Ms. Keane, Mitch and Brick wanna go to the arcade and I wanted to go and um...can I have five dollars for some quarters?" Ms. Keane gave the puff a wry leer, putting her hands on her hips sternly. The puff's grin widened, her best face forward. Giggling, Ms. Keane nodded, taking a five dollar bill from her purse and handing it to the brunette puff. She drew her closer, whispering in her ear.

"Alright...this is for getting an A on your test. I'm proud of you," Buttercup gasped and grinned brightly, throwing her arms around the teacher. Ms. Keane giggled and gave her a quick hug in return, shooing her toward her friends. Mitch and Brick looked angry. Buttercup frowned and shrugged, approaching the sourpuss twins.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Mitch snorted and crossed his arms, walking outside with the two following.

"I can't go...my grandma needs me to clean the house or something stupid..." Buttercup rolled her eyes and turned to Brick, who looked just as irate.

"I don't have any money...this loser didn't mention that!" He shoved an angry mitt in Mitch's face, earning him a glare from the class bully.

"Hey, what stupid kid doesn't know you need money for the arcade?!" Brick growled, his eyes narrowed lethally.

"I ain't stupid!" Mitch snorted and hopped on his bike.

"Whatever, see ya later, Buttercup," Buttercup waved as he pedaled away. She turned to Brick and shrugged.

"Oh well, I got money so I'm going. Later!" Brick sighed and watched her fly off, his rage boiling over. Now he'd not only lost the dodgeball game, he also lost his chance to beat her at the arcade. Someday...he'd clobber that stupid girl and make her admit he was better.

"So what are you doing today Butch?" Butch stopped, turning to look at Bubbles, who was now following him and Boomer. Butch looked at his angry red-haired brother and slowly shrugged.

"I dunno...why?" Bubbles shrugged, falling into step beside him as they joined Brick and Boomer.

"I just thought we could play together, if you wanted to?" Butch blushed and twitched, trying to think of the right response. Brick snarled and whipped around, pointing his mitt at the three of them.

"We're going to practice dodgeball! NOW!" Boomer slowly raised his hand. Brick glared at him and punched him in the face. "No! We're going to practice dodgeball NOW!" Boomer sniffled and rubbed his cheek, glaring at Brick. Butch pointed at Bubbles, keeping his eyes forward, on Brick.

"Can she come?" Brick turned and glared at Bubbles, who gave him her best smile and waved. Brick nodded, a grin spreading across his face.

"Sure, she's tougher than Boomer," Butch snickered and Boomer glared. Together the four flew off into the sky. Blossom walked out with Ms. Keane a few minutes later, rubbing her stomach.

"I'll be at the library with Boomer..." Ms. Keane nodded and climbed into her car, patting Blossom's head.

"Are you alright, Sweetie?" Blossom smiled the best she could—couldn't even fool herself.

"I'm okay, I'll see you tonight," Ms. Keane nodded and watched the last Powerpuff girl fly off. She closed the door and drove off. Pokey Oaks Kindergarten was quiet and still. Octi sat on the stoop, smiling emptily, as the rain began to trickle down.

* * *

_the only exception_

Buttercup strolled into the arcade, clutching her precious five dollar bill with a bright grin. The chingling of change, booping of beeps, and clanging of levers had her spirit soaring. Not even the light rain falling outside could dampen her mood. Whistling her favorite song, she jogged up to the front desk—putting on her best smile—and sat the bill on the register.

"Can I get this many quarters, please?" The portly young man behind the counter smiled and nodded, cashing the bill and handing her a small bag with her change. Buttercup set out, stalking the facility like a predator on the prowl. She came to a halt, staring at the Powerpuff Girls fighting game. With a cocky grin, she put in her quarter and floated up to the controls.

"Alright, it's butt-kicking time!" Selecting herself, Buttercup bit her tongue and prepared to start the single-player campaign. She blinked, hearing a quarter rattling and a new cursor appear on the screen. With a practiced arrogance, she smirked and shrugged.

"Suit yourself! You just wasted a quarter," Buttercup's eyes snapped open when she heard the familiar chuckle. Looking up, she met a pair of dim gray eyes, peeking out from behind a pair of black shades. The green-skinned hoodlum winked and brought his glasses back up.

"We'll see, kid. Give me your best shot," Buttercup grinned and reached for the start button. At the same time, Ace reached for it. His hand brushed hers and Buttercup found herself blushing with uncharacteristic bashfulness. Ace smirked and gripped his controls. The green puff shook her head and put on her game face.

The game started up, creating a digital replica of Townsville. A midi of the 'Powerpuff Jingle' played as a three-colored rainbow flew through the background, the green streak swooping around and landing on screen. The digital Buttercup scowled and punched her fists together, crossing her arms. The ground shook and a twang of Southern banjo wailed. A digital Fuzzy lumpkins stomped into the arena, snarling and puffing his chest. He and Buttercup got into fighting stances as the word "Ready?" popped up. A timer counted down from three, and a pink, green, and blue colored "FIGHT!" flashed over the combatants.

"Ha! Take this sucker!" Buttercup slapped the buttons, and jiggled the joystick, trying her best to stay a step ahead of her opponent. Ace, to his credit, had a lot of practice, and was definitely able to make up for Fuzzy's lack of speed with his abundance of skill. Unfortunately, he found that the kindergartener he was up against was as fluent in virtual combat as real combat. The timer ticked down, the round was coming to a close. Sweat streaked down Buttercup's face; Ace's sunglasses slid down his nose.

"I win!" Ace snorted and crossed his arms, glaring at the screen where the virtual Buttercup stood over the defeated virtual Fuzzy. The teenager sighed and smirked at Buttercup, who floated up to his eye level, arms crossed and a smug grin on her lips.

"Yeah, you did. Nice job, kid." Buttercup flushed and grinned cheekily. She jutted an accusatory mitt in Ace's direction.

"You're just trying to act like you aren't mad!" Ace chuckled and put his hands in his pockets. He glanced around the arcade.

"Maybe...maybe, y'see I play this game just about every day, Buttercup. Kinda steams a guy to get beat by a little girl so easily," Ace smirked, noticing that Buttercup's grin, like her ego, was swelling.

"That's cause I'm the best and you're just a stupid villain!" She opened her eyes and stared at the quarter now held up. Ace wore the same smirk, eyes hidden behind his shades.

"Whadya say we play another?" Buttercup snorted and took out a quarter, shoving it in the machine. Ace slid his in with laid-back assurance. The two picked the same characters, and the game set up for round two. This time, Buttercup was shocked to find that, before the round was even half over, she'd been knocked out. "Fuzzy Wins!" flashed on the screen, while Ace turned on his heel and walked away with a laugh.

"What the...hey! Come back here! How did you do that?!" Ace stopped and glanced over his shoulder at the green puff. She was furious, but at the same time...intrigued.

"That's called hustlin, kid! Why don't ya come with me and I'll teach you?" Buttercup crossed her arms and glared at him...but curiosity won in the end. With a smirk the tomboy flew after the gangster, who was already eying his next target at the air hockey table.

* * *

_feeling sorry_

The Townsville Public Library held a definite sense of caring and comfort. Even with the cold rain drizzling against its high roof, the interior was a warm embrace welcoming its visitors to find a good book, take a seat, and lose touch with the world outside. Blossom took a deep breath, sighing a with a singing quality, letting down her hood and shaking out her damp hair. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and strolled through the lobby with a glistening glow in her eyes. All of the day's misgivings melted in the scent of age worn paper and ink.

"This is just what I needed..." She whispered, smiling her first real smile. The regulars smiled at her, offering the occasional wave as she tiptoed to her favorite table. Blossom grinned brightly and waved in return, setting her backpack on the table, looking up at the clock. Normally, she and Boomer would meet around four, giving her just enough time to start enjoying a new book. She took her previous collection out of her backpack, three rather thick books, and walked up to the librarian's desk. The elder woman smiled kindly at her youngest patron, accepting the books pushed onto her desk.

"Good afternoon, Blossom," The librarian whispered. "How are you today?" Blossom clasped her hands behind her back, glancing away. Of all the simple questions, that one felt impossible to answer.

"I'm doing well...I guess. Just waiting for my friend," The librarian nodded and watched the puff wander away, strolling through the shelves. The moment she was out of sight, Blossom clutched her stomach and fell against the nearest shelf, whimpering as silently as possible. She hiccuped and clamped her mouth shut. With a strenuous effort, she forced back the bile rising in her throat. Blossom panted, sucking in long, deep breaths.

'I've never thrown up before...why now? And why so much?' Now she finally understood why her classmates abhorred getting sick. It had nothing to do with not wanting to miss school; it had everything to do with how absolutely miserable it felt. As strong as she was, every time she threw up Blossom's only mental response was to burst into tears. But here, in her safest haven, she wasn't about to defile the sanctity of the library with her discomfort.

"Okay...let's find a good book and wait for Boomer..." Thinking about Boomer, inevitably led Blossom to thinking about his brothers. Thinking about his brothers, inevitably led to Blossom recalling Brick, which inevitably sent her into a flushing fury. Blossom clenched her fists, glaring at her precious books. Bubbles was getting along with Butch, far better than she'd ever imagined. Boomer was...Blossom blushed. Admittedly, he was adorable. He actually admired her intelligence, rather than teasing her for it. She frowned and sighed. Though...she couldn't stand his idiocy for too long.

But Brick...Brick was an irredeemable monster. Blossom grit her teeth, hand trembling on the fragile spine of a massive tome. In the two weeks the boys had been thrust upon them, he hadn't changed. He was still horrible to her, always picking on her and trying to break her. Blossom clenched her eyes shut, growling quietly. And worse, he and Buttercup seemed to be friends.

"Why not?" She whispered viciously, stomping through the aisles with her head low, "She's just like him, isn't she?" Buttercup loved to fight her, loved to defy her. She wanted to be the leader, didn't she? Blossom grabbed her stomach and dropped to the floor, lips trembling. The books shelves whipped around her like a kaleidoscope. Her muscles clenched, every effort going to fighting back the urge to throw up, and the urge to scream. Blossom clutched herself tighter; it felt as though a knife was being rammed into her, a jagged, serrated knife twisting and gnashing inside her.

"What is happening to me?!" She gasped out, slowly rising to her feet once the feeling passed. The pink puff shook her head and grabbed the nearest book. Blossom stared at the cover, eyebrow raised in curiosity. The author was one she hadn't heard of before.

"Nabokov...this should be interesting" Blossom kept one hand on her stomach, walking back to her table. She glanced at the clock. Though she was disappointed, she couldn't help smiling. Just five more minutes until Boomer arrived. The blue Rowdyruff was never early...he had it hard enough showing up on time. Blossom sighed and sat down, opening the book.

"I can't blame him though...he can't tell time," Blossom snuggled down into her chair, quickly becoming engrossed in the novel. Still, a niggling thought in the back of her mind refused to rest. Something was wrong with her. And though no one had said a word, she knew they could see it. She visualized—pulse racing, heart pounding, body trembling—the town, staring at her. She could almost feel the cold wind hitting her. She could almost hear remnant sparks cracking in the air. For all her love of reading, she couldn't stay interested in it.

"Where is he?" She whispered, her throat tightening. Boomer was almost always late, but never more than a few minutes. She sat her book down, staring at the clock with growing anxiety. Twenty minutes late, thirty minutes late. Had he forgotten? He never had before, why would today be any different? Maybe he was in trouble...that was a stupid thought. He was a Rowdyruff Boy. They caused trouble, they didn't get in trouble.

"What if he's causing trouble then?" She thought, rubbing her chin. The boys had been, interpersonal relationships withholding, very good lately. They hadn't even caused trouble in class. But what if it was all a ploy? If it was a trick...they'd fallen for it, and fallen hard for it. But, that would assume the boys were capable of such an intricate plan. Blossom shook her head. That wasn't possible. Maybe Brick wasn't a complete idiot, but he lacked the patience and strategic planning to come up with something so delicate.

"Boomer...where are you?" Blossom felt her eyes watering. She rubbed them softly, trying to avoid any unwanted attention. But she knew they were looking, she just hadn't managed to catch them yet. She whipped around. Peering through the bookshelves maybe? She whipped around again; she swore she had seen some kind of movement. Blossom lowered her head, trying as hard as she could to make it so they couldn't see her. Trying to keep them from seeing the tears in her eyes. Trying even harder to keep them from noticing the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"He's not coming...he's not coming..." She whispered, looking up at the clock and wiping her cheeks. He was an hour late now, he wasn't coming. Maybe he forgot, that was possible. But it wasn't plausible. No the only plausible outcome was that he had ditched her. He realized she wasn't worth spending time with. Maybe Brick told him, maybe someone else, maybe—for the first time—Boomer figured out something for himself. Whatever the truth was, Blossom knew, without a doubt, that the cold, hard reality was that Boomer didn't want to be her friend. She wrapped her arms around her waist, trembling as her stomach jumped. Blossom slammed her book shut, stumbling away from the table, arms tightly holding her sides.

'I have to get out of here...he's not coming...he's not coming...he's not coming...' The pink puff could no longer control her crying. Blossom grabbed her backpack and hurried to the door. She ignored the stares that were, assuredly, following her. A frigid shudder racked her body as she threw the door open. The thunderstorm was falling hard, giant drops of water cascading down like tears. Blossom coughed into her hand. Every hack came so forcefully, she struggled to stay upright, holding onto the door for balance. She stood up, shaking her head and wiping the blood away from her mouth. With a whimper, she wandered into the storm.

Her jacket still hanged on the back of the chair, right where she left it. Octi sat on the cover of the book she'd been reading, watching the rain pour down through the still open door. His expression was dead.

* * *

_**all i wanted**_

The storm was more powerful than any weathered before. The rain came down in a sheet, blinding any who dared venture into it. A furious gale blew through the streets, toppling trash cans, knocking over potted plants, and tearing down posters. The sky was an infinite cover of darkness, stretched out and hidden behind ominous black clouds. Even the street lamps seemed dimmed by the sheer ferocity of the storm. Not a car was on the road; not a person stalked the sidewalks, save for one. A tiny pink-clad figure, her red hair torn out of its ponytail, plastered over her drenched form.

'So cold...so cold...hurt so bad...' She didn't dare waste energy on speaking. Her teeth chattered too hard to attempt forming words. Not for the first time, she fell to her knees, vomiting a pool of dark red. The weakened super girl fell on her side, sobbing hysterically. She forced her eyes open, watching the street shift and churn around her. The world was fading into darkness. A violent coughing fit overcame the tired puff. Again, she vomited a stream of bloody bile.

Blossom rolled over onto her back, staring with eyes wide open into the oncoming deluge. Her chest heaved and clenched. Despite the freezing rain, she felt as though she was on fire. As the darkness closed in around her, the sky exploded in a bright light. She closed her eyes. Thunder rolled across the city, and Blossom whimpered. Darkness began to bubble up through the cracks in the sidewalk, crawling towards her. The Powerpuff sighed and moaned, squirming in the puddle of darkness.

"What...what's going on?" Blossom gasped, a smile breaking out across her flushed face. She squealed, feeling a tendril wrap around her arm, gently pulling her to stand. Blossom moaned and bit her lip, another tendril wrapping around her other arm, more rising up over her feet. A shiver rushed through her, a hot finger trailing down her back. Steam rose into the air as the burning digit seared her dress.

**"You should not have come into the storm alone, child...here there be dragons,"** Ash-scented breath blew against her ear, his ancient, sophisticated voice intermixed with the dull roar of the storm creating a seductive soundtrack to her awkward, but strangely exciting predicament. Blossom gasped and shuddered. Her dress fell in two parts, flopping to the ground with a loud splat. His finger didn't stop, it kept trailing down her back. Blossom whimpered, an unknown feeling flooding her when her panties fell just like her dress. The tendrils rising up along her legs ate through her shoes and stockings.

"You...came back..." She whispered, just in time. She tensed up, eyes flying open and breath leaving her. She giggled breathlessly, struggling to stand still. The Powerpuff leader was incredibly ticklish, but the tendrils softly tracing across her bare legs tickled in a different way. She felt a warm tongue brush against her cheek and could almost taste his hot breath.

**"Do you remember...what I told you?" **Blossom's squirming was frantic and sporadic; were it not for the tentacles holding her arms and feet, she'd be on her knees. Still the gasping, squealing giggles came, new streams of darkness lightly brushing her sides. His tongue trailed down to her neck.

"I...c-cannot...can't...can't hope to...to d-defeat...defeat y-you..." He chuckled. Blossom clenched her eyes shut and bit her lip hard. The tendrils of darkness stopped, just barely touching her naked body. Hovering over her ominously. Blossom dared to peak an eye open, but could see nothing but blackness. A blackness she wanted to come even closer...a warm blackness she longed to be wrapped in, to ward off the freezing rain.

**"Very good," **He said, his voice coming so suddenly that her heart skipped a beat. The tentacles descended on her fiercely, poking and prodding, stroking against her naked body. Blossom screamed and giggled, struggling with all her might against the relentless tickling. The best of her efforts only resulted in her falling to the ground, on her hands and knees. A tentacle brushed against her cheek, wiping the jovial tears from her eyes. She heard a low chuckle, his laugh. The darkness caressed her lips, lightly brushing against her tongue.

**"What is it you want from Aku?" **Blossom gasped, sudden clarity coming as the tickling ceased and instead the tentacles wrapped around her, hugging her tight and warm. She moaned, opening her eyes. She hovered across from him, the pale moonlight pouring in through the kitchen window. Aku crossed his arms, looking down at her. She floated closer to him, her cheeks flushed dark red. She panted, sweat streaming down her naked skin. She felt tingly, she felt like a warm light in her belly was melting her. She wanted his cool darkness to soothe it.

"I want...I want you...you're...my special...my...please come closer..." A powerful hand cupped her cheek, another stroking her long hair. She hovered closer; the distance between their faces became smaller and smaller. She pursed her lips and closed the distance between them. The tendril of darkness eagerly slid into her open mouth. Blossom moaned and suckled it, grinding against the heated tentacles rubbing and stroking her sweat-streaked body. She sucked harder on the darkness, trying to get closer to it. Her every impulse was focused on getting closer. Trying, somehow, to put out the fire in her belly.

A tentacle reached from the darkness and stroked her hair. Blossom uttered a high moan, squirming and becoming more and more anxious as the tentacle slid down her back, lightly stroking her backside. She groaned and began to to grind even harder. The tentacle pushed harder, sinking deeper into her. Whatever unease she previously felt melted as the darkness tried to put out the fire in her. Two more reached from the blackness. She rolled over and spread her arms and legs, hovering through the soothing sea. A sense of natal wonder overwhelming her greater thoughts.

The new tentacles tenderly brushed against her chest. Blossom hissed and braced herself for the pain to follow. She sighed in wide-eyed bliss; the tentacles lovingly brushed her nipples, delicate...like a flower. She arched her back and sucked harder on the tentacle. The new stimulation—every tweak and stroke sent an almost electrical surge through her body—on her chest caused the fire in her belly to burn even hotter. More than ever, she wanted the darkness closer...close enough to put it out.

A final tentacle crept through the black, drawing closer and closer with a sinister hiss. Blossom, lost in the throes of a foreign feeling she couldn't attempt to label, was none the wiser. She jerked violently, coming back to reality abruptly when the tentacle light brushed against her. Blossom's eyes opened wide. She shuddered and moaned, sucking harder on the tentacle in her mouth. As if this was a confirmation, the tentacle plunged into her. Blossom's eyes rolled up into her head and she lost herself in the waves of darkness crashing against her.

She shivered as the waves kept crashing. And deeper, deeper, she sank into the darkness. The rain poured down on Blossom's shuddering body. She curled up tighter, hand between her legs, a dark flush on her cheeks. Her soggy bow fell against her head, her drenched clothes clinging to her gyrating body. A streak of lightning arced through the black sky, and a peel of thunder rolled over Townsville. But the smile never left the pink puff's lips.

* * *

_careful_

The mountain was an ominous presence. For all he'd heard, all he'd thought, and everything that had seemed so strangely familiar, the Professor remained intimidated. The sun was beginning to rise...soon he'd have to start climbing the mountain. Just what lay at the summit? The scientist...had no idea. His journey had been relatively uneventful. It was like all traces of the demon had been obliterated. James Utonium could only pray that God would give him an answer soon.

"You've come," The Professor jumped and spun around. In the dim morning light, three sets of glowing eyes watched him. His furiously beating heart settled and a nervous smile replaced his fearful frown.

"Oh...its you again! Is this...this was the mountain you spoke of before, correct?" The lead monk nodded, the three stalking toward the mountain with determined, confident, even steps. The Professor watched them, hesitating to give chase. The monks came to a halt and the chilling, low voice of the lead monk pierced the still early morning air.

"Have you recollected yourself?" James lowered his eyes; his hand slid into his pocket, fiddling with his pipe. The monk's question carried an ominous weight. He feared his answer wouldn't suffice. The Professor looked up, gasping and falling back a step to find himself eye-to-eye with the monk. The blank, blue eyes stared into his with all the intensity in the world.

"I...I don't know...what do you mean?" The monk's stare remained unblinking. The Professor knew he had felt this gaze before...before their meeting at the mysterious barren clearing. And just like before, he had the niggling sense that he had already climbed this mountain. The Professor lowered his head and swallowed. His mouth was dry.

"I think...I'll find the answer if I can..." The monk nodded and the Professor looked up, meeting his gaze, "What's at the top of the mountain?" The monk's expression didn't change. His words made the Professor gasp.

"Truth"

* * *

_playing god_

_"_And then I played with the Rowdyruff Boys after school! Butch is really funny when Brick isn't telling him to be mean!" The Professor chuckled. Ms. Keane tapped her watch, giving Bubbles' a gentle smile. The blue puff nodded.

"I gotta go to bed Professor, I love you!"

"I love you too Honey, sweet dreams," Bubbles beamed and handed the phone back to Ms. Keane. The teacher grinned and gestured for Bubbles to head upstairs. Buttercup had already finished her turn and, if she was in a less than rebellious mood, already in bed. Ms. Keane bit her lip and looked at the door, putting the phone to her ear.

"She's still not home, James...I'm starting to get worried," It was nearing eight o'clock and Blossom hadn't returned home. The storm was at its peak, practically shaking the house. On the other end of the line, the Professor was struggling to maintain a sense of rationality. A wary chuckle was the teacher's first response. The second a nervous swallow.

"W-Well you said she's tutoring that boy, right? Maybe they lost track of time..." Ms. Keane twirled the phone cord around her finger, slowly shaking her head.

"I don't believe so...they've never gone more than a couple hours. She just can't keep his attention on schoolwork that long..." The nervous chuckle returned, with a worried hiccup. The kindergarten teacher's heart nearly leapt out of her chest when the front door opened and an incredibly soggy Blossom stumbled in, eyes low to the floor.

"Oh thank God she's home..." Ms. Keane whispered into the phone, setting the receiver down to check on the auburn-haired child. Her body wracked with shivers, her face flushed bright red, Blossom looked as though she had been out in the storm for hours. What was most telling; however, was her averted gaze. Try as she might, Ms. Keane couldn't make eye contact with the Powerpuff girl.

"Blossom it is very late! Where have you been?" Blossom flinched. She cleared her throat and looked up, passed Ms. Keane.

"I was...at the library. And um..." She bit her lip, glancing at the clock hanging on the wall. Her eyes darted in the other direction, then finally ended on the puddle forming at her feet, "I fell asleep," Ms. Keane frowned and finally turned Blossom to look her in the eye. Blossom swallowed hard.

"Blossom...you're lying to me," The little girl pulled away, rubbing her clammy arms. A nervous shudder and a quick sweep of the room, she turned her eyes back to Ms. Keane. Still, she wasn't looking at her.

"No I'm not," The respondent frown deepened; her lie couldn't be more evident. Blossom sighed and lowered her head, staring at the damped carpet. Ms. Keane shook her head, making a note to press the issue later.

"The Professor is on the phone...would you like to talk to him before bed?" Blossom peeked up, staring at the black receiver. She ignored her initial impulse and nodded, walking to the couch. Ms. Keane had disappeared, reappearing with a big towel—one quickly wrapped around Blossom before she could cause more damage to the flooring. Blossom accepted it with an honest smile. Ms. Keane's was far more curt. Blossom frowned and sighed, picking up the phone.

"Um...hi, Professor...I guess it would be good morning there, right?" She smiled, hearing a sudden sigh of relief. The scientist chuckled and paused a moment. She could picture him perfectly, puffing his pipe, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Yes it's almost morning here. You gave us quite a scare Blossom. Where have you been?" There was something to his voice. A warning tone? Disappointment? Disapproval? Blossom's knee-jerk reaction was to bristle, her hackles rising despite her chill. She laughed sheepishly, glancing at Ms. Keane.

"I...fell asleep at the library and um...got home late...did Ms. Keane tell you it's raining? The storm is really bad here, how's the weather there?"

"The weather is fine Blossom...alright, if you don't want to tell me, I won't ask again," Blossom bit her lip, trembling from a new sensation not at all to do with the cold. Fear? She glanced again at Ms. Keane, sitting in the Professor's recliner grading the tests they took earlier that day. She snapped out of her distance when she heard his voice again.

"Blossom there's something important we need to talk about," She quickly tensed; relaxing just enough, but only when she heard the receiver cracking in her grip.

"W-What's wrong, Professor? Did you find out something about...about Aku?" Her heart fluttered just speaking his name. Where had he gone? What was he doing now? Why did he run away?

"No, Sweetie, this is about you," Blossom narrowed her eyes.

"About me?" she asked, her voice just barely a whisper. Her voice must have carried an edge, an edge the Professor could hear, because the scientist hesitated before continuing.

"Y-Yes...Blossom, Ms. Keane and your sisters are both very worried about you," Silence answered him. The pink puff threw an unreadable look at her teacher. Thankfully the older woman's attention was diverted.

"Your sisters say you aren't talking to them. You're behaving very strange and distant. They're worried about you...from what I've been told you only really respond when you're angry with someone," Blossom's lips quivered and her hand gripped the phone tighter, "They're both very upset that you won't talk to them. Now, I know, I know you're a big girl and you're very strong. But...you should at least tell them that you're alright," Blossom closed her eyes, taking small breaths. Ms. Keane was watching her, she just knew it. She pretended she wasn't when Blossom looked, but she could feel eyes on her back. They were teaming up on her.

"Alright," So clipped and harsh was her tone that Blossom had trouble recognizing her own voice. She could hear the Professor sigh; there was more coming. They knew everything was wrong with her. Blossom's lips quivered, her eyes twitching with still unshed tears.

"Ms. Keane is also very worried, Blossom...she told me that you failed a test today," Blossom's eyes widened. A few of those unshed tears fell, rolling down her damp cheeks.

"I what?"

"You failed your history test today...she says you're distracted in class, you don't answer questions anymore, and you seem...what's the right word..." Blossom's breaths were coming in shorter bursts, faster and faster. She glared at Ms. Keane—finally caught her staring at her. Ms. Keane gasped and set her pencil down, worry etched in her face. Fake worry. It wasn't real, just a trap.

"I...I'm fine!" Blossom exclaimed, cutting off the rest of the Professor's explanation. She swallowed, repeating herself in a more definite tone, "I'm fine, Professor!" Her father sighed, her super hearing could make out the sound of him tapping his pipe.

"Blossom, please don't yell. We're just worried about you...it sounds like it started after you fought Princess," Blossom froze and fumbled with the receiver, nearly dropping it. She ground her teeth and could feel a wave of nausea rising up in her belly.

"Th-That was a long time ago...what does that have to do with anything!?" She gripped her stomach, shaking with her greatest effort just to stay on her feet.

"Blossom I think using that much of your power is affecting you," Blossom shook her head, sprinkling rainwater over the room. Ms. Keane stood up. Though her voice was only a partial indication, in person Blossom's frustration was nerve-wracking. She had certainly never seen the child throw a tantrum...seeing one brewing, standing so close to it, was terrifying.

"I'm just fine! It's...it's nothing like that!"

"Blossom, how long have you been able to do that? Did you lie to me before?" Blossom grabbed her hair nervously. Her expression was torn between tears and fury; she gave a soft whine.

"A-Always...I...I never really...but! But it's fine, Professor! I'm responsible! I can handle it!" Ms. Keane was just as torn as Blossom. Her maternal instincts were crying for her to approach the little girl, to soothe her and calm her down. Her teaching career was asking her to settle the brewing tantrum, to keep her under control. But her primal instincts...were to horrified to do anything. Blossom's skin seemed almost...glowing. The girls had all looked the same, that first day in her class. Blossom had looked the same, that day in Townsville, battling Princess.

"Blossom, I know you're responsible, but this is a safety issue. You have been losing your temper lately and-" Blossom growled—audibly growled—and lowered her fist to her side, shaking.

"You don't trust me?! You think I'm going to hurt someone?! I...I'm appalled!"

"Blossom you're doing it now! Sweetie, please just settle down and listen to me. This is for your own good," The pink puff viciously rubbed her eyes, pained tears replaced by hot, angry tears. He wanted to hold her down. Vaguely, she could remember how it felt. Completely crushed beneath the invisible hand. All the pain, the helplessness, the weakness. Had they done that? Were they trying to do it now?

"Blossom, I just think...you should put your bracelet on again. I don't think you girls are mature enough to handle that kind of power. Please, I love you...I just want you to be safe," Blossom clenched her eyes shut, breath hissing between her teeth. She'd never be like that again. Her head was spiraling, the room was whipping around her like a tornado. And the knife in her stomach nearly surpassed the pain of the knife in her back. Her anger disappeared in a sudden flash, replaced by anguish. She dropped the phone, hands flying to her mouth.

"No!" She cried—a pitiful, weak, nearly inaudible sound—hurrying away as fast as her twisting insides would allow. Ms. Keane gasped and snapped out of her shock, picking up the phone and watching Blossom's hair disappear around the top of the stairs.

"James? I'm sorry, I'll talk to her,"

"No...no it's alright...let her calm down. Maybe she'll respond better in the morning," Ms. Keane sighed and nodded, looking up at the stairs.

"Alright,"

_ignorance_

Blossom's flight led her directly to not her own bathroom, but the Professor's. She slammed the door shut and locked it, just in time to dive at the toilet and throw up—banging her chin against the lid in the process, biting her tongue. Blossom whimpered and sobbed quietly, falling into a coughing fit that led to more regurgitation. Through it all, the world kept spinning around her.

'Make it stop...please someone make it stop...just stop!' She held onto the toilet bowl for dear life, fighting to stop the violent shaking and the painful lurching in her stomach. She was on fire; more specifically, her belly was on fire. She needed something, anything to put it out. Scandalously...she was sure she knew the answer.

"Maybe...just a one day thing...I'm so tired..." The nausea and dizziness passed. Blossom rose, flushed the toilet, and washed her mouth out. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing the girl staring back. Bloodshot eyes, soaked to the bone, she was a picture of discontent and disorganization. A tear-stained picture of weakness. A perfect antithesis to Blossom herself.

She wiped her eyes and stumbled out of the bathroom, opening the bedroom door. Buttercup was asleep, but Bubbles was sitting up, clutching Octi tightly—the sight of the doll made Blossom uneasy—and watching the door. The blue puff smiled brightly when her sister walked in the door, and rose to greet her.

"Blossom! I was so worried...are you okay?" Bubbles stopped in front of Blossom, eyes wide with concern, her lips pursed in worry. Blossom quivered and looked down at the floor, stumbling passed Bubbles and pulling off her wet dress.

"I'm fine...I'm fine!" She emphasized, turning with a desperate frown. Bubbles' lips trembled as she followed her sister into the closet. Before Blossom could object, Bubbles hugged her tightly, hiccuping. Blossom swallowed, admittedly thankful for her sister's warm embrace. Even out of her wet dress, she was freezing.

"Bubbles...you should be asleep. I'm fine just...I was," Bubbles nodded, hugging her tighter.

"You fell asleep at the library," Blossom whimpered silently, but nodded. She softly grabbed her sister's arms.

"You believe me?" Blossom turned and looked at Bubbles, who was wiping her leaking eyes. Blossom's gaze drifted to her hand, where she clutched Octi, dangling at her side. Octi stared up at her; vapid and mocking.

"Of course I believe you...you wouldn't lie," Blossom flinched, quickly turning away. She rubbed her arms, wishing Bubbles would hug her again.

"Right...I wouldn't, would I?" Bubbles smiled and shook her head. Blossom bit her lip and nodded, taking off her wet stockings. While her sister changed, Bubbles stood by and watched. The loving gaze in her eyes never faded, nor did the concern.

"Blossom...what's wrong?" She finally asked, breaking the relative silence. Blossom pulled her nightie on, staring at the carpet.

"What do you mean?"

"You're acting funny...and I don't like it..."

"I'm just...I'm fine, Bubbles," Blossom bit her lip, "What do you mean 'funny'?"

"I feel like I don't know you anymore..." Blossom shook her head. The room was starting to get fuzzy, she could feel her consciousness slipping. The pain was returning. Still...she ignored it and turned to her sister with a cheeky smile. She daintily took Bubbles' hand, holding it tightly. Bubbles couldn't help blushing at the husky, over-the-top tone of Blossom's voice.

"I'm Blossom, it's nice to meet you," Bubbles giggled and pulled Blossom close, giving her a tight hug. Octi fell to the floor. Blossom hesitated, but wrapped her arms around Bubbles and gave her an equally firm embrace.

"It's late, we need to get to bed, Bubbles," Blossom pulled away from the hug. Bubbles nodded and picked up Octi, joining her sister in bed. The dark room, lit by a thin stream of light, fell into silence. Silence broken only by the sound of deep, even breathing. A pair of pink eyes opened in the darkness. The hours ticked by slowly; the night was so painfully long. The room got chillier as the storm went on; the two sisters shivered and snuggled closer together. The silence was broken by a voice, crying softly. A voice no one heard.

* * *

_misguided ghosts_

Blossom sat alone in the bathroom, all the lights out. The sunrise outside was still several hours away, though the first rays of light were starting to turn the clouds a silky shade of pink. Through the door, the puff could hear the light breaths of her sleeping sisters. So peaceful and perfect; Blossom's stomach churned, though it had naught to do with her sisters. A soft moan pierced the silent air. The room began to spiral, slow at first, like an amusement park ride. But within seconds it was a frantic hurricane, slushing her brain around in her skull.

All feeling, all control, all power fled Blossom's body, dropping her in a painful face plant on the floor. She laid there, praying the floor would stay beneath her. Though she knew it wouldn't end the way she hoped, Blossom pushed up onto her hands and knees, pain rocketing through her arms, like spikes driven clear through her shoulder blades. It would have taken all her strength to not scream in pain, had she the strength to even do that much.

'I...I think I'm....' Blossom stood up, panting and holding onto the sink for dear life. There was no other explanation, she reasoned. But, she realized painfully, there was no way out. She gasped and swallowed hard, biting back the bile rising in her throat. The pink puff took a step, and the floor became the ceiling. She stumbled toward the bathtub and a porcelain crack rang out, leaving behind an eerie stillness.

On the floor, head throbbing, the little girl climbed to her knees with tears welling up in her eyes. She hiccuped, hand flying to her mouth; too late, she doubled over and spewed a violent expulsion of vomit across the floor, caking the wall and pouring over the door. Blossom collapsed in a fit of choked sobs. She heaved again, splattering more dark red vomit on the floor. Her stomach felt like it was on the verge of tearing open. Every slight movement left her crying that much harder. She snatched the side of the bathtub and tried climbing to her feet.

'I can't...make it...gotta...get this... before anyone finds out...' When did she...a person whose own father felt her too powerful to be trusted...become so frail? In the pit of her mind, she saw a pair of wicked green eyes. At the back of her mind, she felt a furry hand rubbing her body. On the edge of knowledge, she smelled a foul, horrid odor permeating an entire room. Just at the brink of remembrance, Blossom knew there was a reason. But with no one to turn to, what good would the memory do?

'Someone...maybe...if I'm too weak to beat this...someone stronger can...' That answer, a final solution, had come back with every heave. Every lurch and pained breath brought the same notion. She had only one option, one choice. Blossom peered into the darkness, dragging in air with unparalleled urgency. As her mind faded to black and the room began to fall, she prayed the darkness was staring back. Blossom hit the floor, unconscious even before her skull knocked against it.

Several hours passed by and strangely...as she laid face down in her own sickness, the darkness did begin to move around her. The mess began to fade, though not without roughly moving the perpetrator. Blossom floated through the air, whimpering helplessly adrift a cloud of cherry dust. A sharp emerald haze fell over the sleeping sisters, their missing piece now put into place. Daintily, the covers were pulled up to their chins. Tenderly, evil eyes fell to the right; lovingly, it brushed a loose strand of hair back into place. And, his time exhausted, the haze vanished.

'Is this the right thing to do?' The first thought forced its way into her mind, as her eyes fluttered open. She looked around the room in a daze. Her gaze fell on her sister, eyes narrowing lovingly. She lightly caressed her hair. Her sister's sudden shift took her breath away. Blossom relaxed, smiling gently, stroking her sister's cheek. In sleep, she was so delicate...like a flower. Her mood suddenly shifted, her smile vanishing beneath a bitter frown.

'This is wrong...I can't...they wouldn't know what to do...' She turned, lightly laying her mitt on her other sister's shoulder. The blonde sighed and rolled over, facing away from her. Blossom swallowed and struggled to resist the growing urge to cry. She'd done enough of that lately, she was tired. She missed them...she missed them dearly. Blossom looked down at her lap, ignoring the tears puddling between her legs. How long had they truly been apart? If not physically than...in their hearts? It felt like it had been so long since she'd even told them she loved them.

'It's been...even longer since they said they loved me...' Or maybe it hadn't...she began to realize. The last real, honest interaction they'd had was trying to teach Buttercup that stupid attack. And the result had just been Blossom with a sore face and even more sore pride. She sighed and rubbed her stomach. Her...condition had subsided, but it would be back. It kept coming back worse than before. Eventually it might...

'No don't think about that...no...just...I have to' Blossom lowered her head and slowly floated out of bed, wandering to the closet to get dressed. She pulled off her soiled nightie, staring at it. Tears trickled down her cheeks. Without a word, she vaporized it with her heat rays. She bit her lip and pulled down a dress, sliding it on in silence. Outside, she listened carefully. If either of her sisters woke up...they'd try to stop her. Right? They wouldn't want to see her go.

'They never tried before...' She recalled, with a glare how she'd run away before. She was a jinx, a bad omen, a failure. They just let her walk out the door...they hadn't even looked for her. Blossom clenched her fists, instantly regretting the action. Her insides tensed up and a wave of nausea hit her. By the time it cleared, she was on her back, staring weakly at the ceiling. The puff stood up slowly, panting.

'No...this is right. It's the only way...he's the only one...' He was special...he could find a way to solve a problem she couldn't. Blossom stepped out of the closet, shielding her eyes from the rays of the rising sun. She glared at the windows, giving the bed a passing glance before hurrying downstairs. She didn't dare fly, instead walking barefoot to the living room. She paused at the foot of the stairs, looking up at the door to the guest room. Ms. Keane would worry...if no one else, she would worry. Right?

'Maybe I should tell her...no, no she won't let me. No one will let me if I tell them! They'll just...tell me I'm wrong!' She took deep, calming breaths, holding herself tightly. Thankfully, the feeling passed before it could take her out. Blossom tiptoed to the door, stopping to slip on her shoes and fasten the buckles. She paused, biting her lip. Her pursuer came to a halt, putting her hands on her hips.

"Blossom...what are you doing? It's four in the morning..." Blossom stood up straight and slowly turned; pink eyes locked with green eyes. Both stood in perfect silence. One wore a frown, a look of absolute defeat that opposed everything the other ever thought of her. The other's expression was more blank, but overflowing with concern and emotion that stunned the former. Blossom broke the stare first, looking down at her feet.

"You wouldn't understand..." Buttercup never missed a beat, this occasion was no exception.

"Try me," Something in the tone of her voice nearly killed the auburn-haired puff. Though she swore she wouldn't cry anymore, swore she'd be strong even in her weakness, tears began to stream down her face. She looked up at Buttercup. Her haunted eyes paralyzed the impulsive puff.

"I'm going away for a while, but I'll be back. Don't try to follow me because I promise I'll return as soon as possible," Blossom's voice carried a trembling, almost poetic quality. Buttercup shook her head, taking a few steps closer.

"Blossom...why? You can't leave..." Blossom shuddered, taking a deep breath and pulling her hands to her chest. She looked small, frightened, far more fragile than Buttercup ever believed she could be.

"See...I'm trying to find my place, but it might not be here...where I feel...safe," Blossom trailed off, her voice cracking. Buttercup sighed and started closer. She hesitated for a moment, pulling her offered hand back. Blossom's eyes fell, and she felt her heart breaking. She shook her head and slowly pulled open the door.

"Don't try to bring me back," Buttercup snorted and crossed her arms. She began to sweat, despite the cold air coming in through the cracked doorway. Her eyes stung.

"Why not?" As the words passed through her lips, Blossom turned to face her, one last time. Buttercup nearly choked on the lump in her throat.

"Because you can't," Without another word, her once proud eyes fixed on the ground, she turned and walked out the door. And...though it wasn't the first time she'd run away, this time Buttercup felt truly terrified. The tears in her eyes only frightened her that much more. This time, she worried that her sister wasn't coming home.


	18. Antithesis For Anticlimax

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Every story must come to an end...**

**Chapter 17**

* * *

**"What has become of me...the Shogun of Sorrow...Deliverer of Darkness...how has such a small child...so completely defeated the great Aku?" **The darkness sprawled out for miles, broken only by the dim sea of fire rising up from the pit. Barely able to control his weak moans, the Master of Masters laid in his throne and clutched his searing chest. Cracks of bleeding red broke out across his once powerful form, humming like an overloaded generator. His eyes clenched tightly shut, he struggled to even think through the mind-numbing haze of pain.

**"It is as though...that accursed sword itself...is within me,"**Aku writhed and snarled. In the depths of the darkness, a hundred thousand visions spread like fire. A lifetime of pain and suffering. An entire world wracked in misery and suffering, now blazing in the confines of his breast. He, the greatest of all evils, had never before felt such terror.

That night, he had felt something like never before. As the child came closer, his chest began to...beat. Aku slammed his fists on the arms of his throne. His eyes blazed, but even his eyebrows were but a weak flicker. The samurai killed Aku. But that child had sent him to Hell.

* * *

The mornings were typically a sacred moment of peace for one, Ms. Cassandra Keane. Her duties as a school teacher kept her on her toes throughout the day, and her beloved task caring for her dearest friend's children kept her on top of her game in the evenings. She preferred to wake up early and greet the rising sun with a hot cup of coffee. A moment's reprieve in her busy life. She was, needless to say, shocked to find an intruder on her daily ritual. A welcomed intruder, though an intruder nonetheless.

"Buttercup...what are you doing up so early?" Buttercup laughed sheepishly and scratched her head, staring at the kitchen table. Ms. Keane pulled a chair up next to the green puff and sat down, stifling a gasp when she noticed the tears rolling down Buttercup's cheeks. As if the day couldn't take a sharper turn for the surreal. Buttercup must have noticed; she quickly wiped her eyes and put on a brave front.

"I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep..." Ms. Keane carefully placed a hand on Buttercup's shoulder. Her voice was shaking and—did she dare to think it—afraid. The tick-tocking of the clock broke the tense silence, creating a six-thirty symphony in conjunction with the puff's shaky breaths and the teacher's slow, deep breaths. An early morning breeze slipped in through the cracked open door, as if the icy fingers of the breaking dawn outside sought refuge from the day to come. Buttercup trembled, her entire body shook, and lowered her head into her hands. Ms. Keane sat in solemn silence, her heart bleeding in her breast.

"What's wrong, Dear?" Ms. Keane asked in a whisper. Buttercup shook her head and stared at the table. Hadn't Blossom been doing that a lot lately? Buttercup slowly looked up at Ms. Keane, a fragility in her voice that had never existed before.

"I don't know..." The teacher nodded and hugged the green-eyed puff tightly. Warm and safe, Buttercup managed to fight back the tears. But, the inkling of knowledge at the corner of her mind kept her from finding peace.

The gentle breeze slipped quietly around the corner, fluttering up the stairs. It whipped around a portrait of the Utonium family, knocking it unceremoniously to the floor. Undeterred, the breeze drifted into the opened bedroom door, disguised as hall light. The dark room seemed darker still, the breeze tenderly caressing the remaining puff's soft cheek. She smiled and snuggled further beneath the warm, heavy blankets. In her arms, she lovingly cuddled her favorite doll.

_Bubbles...Buuuubbles..._

The little puff sighed, her mouth falling open as she pulled the doll closer to her face. She lovingly nuzzled him and held him against her cheek.

"What is it, Octi?" She asked in a sleepy, dream-ridden voice.

_Are you asleep?_

Bubbles nodded. Octi smiled blissfully, almost absentmindedly. Almost.

_Are you...dreaming?_

"Uh huh..." Bubbles mumbled after a moment's hesitation. Octi seemed to notice.

_Is it a bad dream?_

Bubbles whimpered and nodded.

_Hold me...cloooser to your heart. I'll protect you._

"Okay..." Bubbles hugged Octi tighter and sighed happily. The nightmare subsided almost instantly. Octi rested his head against her chest, watching it rise and fall in slow, steady breaths.

_What were you dreaming about Bubbles?_

"I don't wanna say..." She whispered.

_I can help Bubbles...you can trust me...I would neeever lie to youuuu_

"...Blossom..." She whispered, tears in her voice. She hugged Octi tighter and sniffled. He laid in her arms obediently, comforting her with soft whispers.

_Blossom has been...a very bad girl lately...you're worried about her, aren't you?_

Bubbles nodded and hiccuped, burying her face in Octi. His smile never faded.

_Don't cry Bubbles...I'm going to take care of everything...I'm going to take care of you..._

"I know...I love you Octi..." That whisper, barely even a whisper, made Octi grin brighter than he ever had in his life. He almost seemed to care; almost seemed alive. Almost.

_I always said Buttercup should be the leader._

* * *

By the time Bubbles floated down the stares, the sun had already begun to rise over the horizon. Ms. Keane had breakfast prepared, and Buttercup was still sitting in silence. Bubbles watched her uncharacteristically sober green-clad sister pick at her pancakes. The blue puff's entrance went completely unnoticed. With eyes wide she took her seat, watching the steadily thickening silence in awe. Ms. Keane finally saw the blonde girl and smiled, patting her head. Neither sister moved while the teacher got the newest addition to the morning a plate of hot food.

"Why are you up so early? It's Saturday..." Bubbles asked, watching Ms. Keane steadily walk back to her seat. Buttercup shuddered and turned away from her sister. Ms. Keane beamed and cleared her throat.

"Well, I'm always up at this time Bubbles. I like to rise early so I can relax before facing the day," She explained. Bubbles nodded, more intently focused on her sister. Buttercup was distracted, and visibly uneasy.

"Buttercup?" Buttercup sat up and looked at Bubbles with an unreadable look. Bubbles clutched Octi tighter, turning to face her food. She had no appetite. Ms. Keane tapped her lip and got up, peering up the stairs.

"Is Blossom still asleep?" Bubbles blinked and tapped her lip; Buttercup lowered her head and clenched her fists. The blonde-towed girl shook her head and took a forced bite of her pancakes. She could barely taste the maple syrup.

"I don't think I saw her..." Ms. Keane frowned and started up the stairs. When she was gone, Bubbles turned back to Buttercup.

"Buttercup...where's Blossom?" She flinched and her jaw tightened. Buttercup knew the answer, whether she would tell or not was another story. The green puff looked at her sister and sighed shrugging weakly.

"I...I don't know," Bubbles stared at her, with unconscious intensity. Buttercup stared back, the same defeated look of helplessness in her eyes. Buttercup...really didn't know.

"Is she alright?" Bubbles asked quietly, looking at her food once more. Buttercup turned to her untouched breakfast.

"I don't know..." A tense silence fell over them. They heard Ms. Keane scream upstairs.

"Is she coming back?"

"...I don't know," Bubbles nodded. They both looked up when Ms. Keane came barreling into the room, panting. Tears were streaming down her face.

"Girls! B...Blossom is missing!" Bubbles and Buttercup traded a look. Ms. Keane bit her finger and paced the room nervously, on the verge of a breakdown. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves; if anything, she became even more uneasy and frightened.

"She's not in the bathroom...the bedroom...the Professor's bedroom..." As Ms. Keane went over her checklist, the three heard explosions in the distance. The warning sirens were going off in Townsville. Sure enough, the Hotline began to buzz. Ms. Keane stared at the flashing red light, horror etched in her face. Bubbles and Buttercup slowly approached the children's toy; the former turned to the latter for support. Buttercup swallowed and answered the phone.

"Y-Yes...Mayor?" The Mayor was not the one who replied. Buttercup's breath caught in her throat. Next to her Bubbles gasped and her hands flew to her mouth.

"You have five minutes, Powerpuff Girls...do not be late," And a deafening click ended the call. No repetition, no repeated threats. Plain as day...they had been given an ultimatum.

"Mojo is attacking the city...we have to go, now!" Buttercup set the receiver back on its cradle and stared at her hands. Bubbles hugged Octi and stared at the floor.

"Girls...no! You two go, I'm...I'm sure Blossom will show up!" Ms. Keane said, trying to offer a hopeful smile. It did little to hide the tears in her eyes. Buttercup looked at Bubbles. Her sister was pale and trembling, clutching her favorite toy like it was about to be stolen away. Buttercup clenched her fists and took a deep breath. She stepped forward and put a hand on Bubbles' shoulder. Bubbles looked up in shock.

"Let's go, they need the Powerpuff Girls," Bubbles' mouth fell open. She swallowed and started to argue. Buttercup shook her head and Bubbles, despite her fear, nodded. The two turned to Ms. Keane, who offered them her best smile.

"You can do it girls...I believe in you," The sisters smiled and gave her a quick hug, flying for the stairs. Their five minutes was down to three and the clock wasn't about to stop ticking.

* * *

In the shadow of the great mountain, there was little in the way of civilization. Thankfully, for James Utonium, a small lodge run by an immigrant served as a checkpoint, a safe haven before his journey into the heavens. He sat inside the lobby, head in his hands and counting down the moments before he ventured into the wild unknown. The owner walked in and spotted him. The Professor looked up, hearing the stomp of heavy footsteps.

"Ye the crazy lad plannin' ta climb the mountain, aye?" The Professor chuckled and nodded. He was beyond crazy, he was desperate. The burly man, well over a foot taller than the Professor himself with a mane of untamed red hair, sat down next to the scientist with a rough plop. The Professor scooted away to give his host more room.

"Why would a wee lit'l thin like yerself risk climbin' that mountain? I tell ye, I tried climbin' it," The Professor sat up, his fatigue chased away. He lit up his pipe, and leaned in to his companion.

"Is that so? How far did you make it?" The Scottish lodge owner laughed and clapped the Professor on the back, nearly knocking him from his seat.

"I didn' make it far, Lad! No mort'l man can tame that mountain!" The Professor sighed and sat back, staring at the dark wooden ceiling. He'd feared as much, but regardless of the dangers, he had no other choice. The Scotsman sighed and rested his massive hands on his knees. He could see the look of righteous determination in the smaller man's eyes. It was a look he couldn't help but respect.

"So why ye riskin' it all on a bitch of a mountain?" The Professor took out his pipe and turned to the Scotsman with a solemn smile.

"I don't have a choice...my family is counting on me...it's not something I can divulge the details of. But...I assure you, there is no other way," The Scotsman smiled, a warm smile. He set one of his massive hands on the Professor's shoulder and poked him roughly in the chest.

"Yer a brave man...riskin' life an' limb fer family. I respect that...what's yer name, Lad?" The Professor smiled, trying to rub his now sore chest as subtly as possible.

"Utonium, James Utonium," The Scotsman smiled and nodded.

"Aye, I'll remember it. Listen Jimme, ye got a rough haul ahead of ye. I'd be a sorry sort of man if I let ye go unprepared, I would," The Scotsman climbed to his feet and stalked to the check in counter. Behind it, mounted on the wall, was a giant sword covered in ancient markings. The Professor watched in awe as his host lifted the massive weapon and snatched an equally massive sheathe on his way back to where they sat. The Scotsman sat next to the Professor once more, holding out the blade.

"Tis an ancient family heirloom...a powerful broadsword, etched with protective runes that make it unbreakable...if yer plannin' ta climb that mountain, I want ye to take her with ya, Jimme," The Scotsman sheathed the sword and presented it to the Professor. Taking it in both hands, he nearly toppled over. It was heavier than it looked. Still...something about the gesture felt tearjerkingly familiar. The scientist smiled and rested his hand on the Scotsman's shoulder.

"Thank you, I don't know how to repay you," The owner laughed and put his hand on the Professor's shoulder once more.

"Ye get ta the top of that mountain, ye bring mah sword back...and we'll call it even, Lad," The Professor nodded and hefted the blade onto his back. His resolution was strengthened, and with one last wave, he set out on the last leg of his journey. The frigid mountain loomed ominously just over the next hill.

* * *

The city was quite literally burning when the remaining Powerpuff Girls arrived on the scene. Buildings were collapsing, people screamed and ran for cover. The early morning air seemed blacker and colder than either could remember. The two flew directly for the city hall; the heart of the city lay in utter ruin. Neither puff would admit it, but inside both were praying they would wake up to find it all had been a nightmare.

"Powerpuff Girls you've arrived...you are on time...Mojo is impressed..." The girls spun around, searching frantically for the source of the voice. It seemed to come from every direction. Buttercup licked her lips and thrust her mitt out, steeling her voice.

"Show yourself Mojo!" They heard an irate growl and what sounded like a slithering sound. The soft click of a machine coming to life. Nearby, a building began to crumble when racked by an explosion—perhaps a gas tank hit by the fire. The sisters screamed and Buttercup quickly grabbed onto Bubbles and pulled her close.

"Where is Powerpuff Blossom? She is late," Bubbles whimpered and Buttercup ground her teeth. Mojo seemed off...something was terribly wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on it. It was at times like these she wished she possessed Blossom's powerful mind.

"Blossom isn't coming!" Bubbles gasped, but Buttercup kept going, "We're more than enough to deal with you!" There was a soft moment of silence. The sisters became aware of the increasingly frantic breathing that came all around them. There was a sharp explosion and glass fell to the streets. A primal scream rang out as a massive machine rose up from the Mayor's office, showering the ground with debris and shrapnel.

"THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! BRING ME POWERPUFF BLOSSOM!" Bubbles and Buttercup floated back in abject horror, staring at the wicked creation floating over them. The robot could scarcely be called a robot. No, it was more like a twisted machine wrapped around the very embodiment of evil; it was nightmare incarnate.

The mechanoid was easily longer than anything the puffs had ever laid eyes on. It's snake-like tail went on for miles, and its body rose up over the skyscrapers it used to hold itself up. Six metallic arms stretched from the upper body, each bearing three massive metal claws. Eight metallic spider legs stretched from the back, holding the robot up and piercing the buildings it used to stay balanced. Three terrifying heads rose up on snakelike necks. The center, where they could see the cockpit, was crowned with a head resembling that of a bull with six massive horns, piercing the dark clouds over head. The other two, bore dragons heads, both with two massive ram horns that curved back menacingly. It rose so high, it blocked out the rising sun, whose meager glow gave it the imposing presence of a shadowy hellspawn.

"Th-That...that can't b-be Mojo" Buttercup muttered, floating back. Bubbles stared in wide-eyed horror, tightly held in her sister's strong arms. Arms that would not prove strong enough in the face of this new threat. They heard a click and the middle head lowered, steam firing from its nostrils. The robot was plated in duranium, but the Sisters Puff could see something...black running through the blue tubing that ran through the robot. Something sinister, but familiar.

"Where is your sister? Her presence is required! This cannot take place without her! No, Mojo's greatest plan will not be ruined! His moment of triumph, his victory, his final solution will not be sullied by your tricks! Your schemes shall not impede on Mojo Jojo! BRING ME POWERPUFF BLOSSOM THIS INSTANT!" Buttercup and Bubbles watched the robot thrash around, reflecting the rage pulsing through its pilot. The metal legs smashed buildings; the spider arms smashed through the city streets. The three heads turned on the girls, and the air grew deathly still.

"No matter...yes...all shall follow the plan..." Mojo licked his lips, speaking in a distant, out of breath voice. Bubbles looked at Buttercup and nervously hugged her tighter. Buttercup narrowed her eyes, glaring at their arch-nemesis.

"Kill the sisters and Blossom will show, she will arrive and fight with all of her awesome power. Yes, if they die she shall not hold back! And when at least she is conquered and her blood runs red in these streets I, Mojo Jojo, shall be truly victorious! All so clear now...their dying screams will summon my opponent!" Bubbles whimpered and began to breathe rapidly.

"Buttercup...we can't win, we can't beat that thing," Buttercup shook her head and the two floated back slowly.

"Yes we can! We don't need Blossom all the time!" Buttercup swallowed and looked down, "I wish she was here but...but we can do this, Bubbles!" Bubbles shook her head and a few tears rolled down her cheeks.

"It looks scarier than that other robot...and we couldn't beat it!" She cried. Buttercup grit her teeth and turned back to Mojo. They could beat him...they'd beaten Mojo without Blossom before...right?

"PREPARE YOURSELVES LESSER POWERPUFF GIRLS!" Both girls turned to Mojo, bristling at the insult but quivering at the writhing machine. The robot reared back and roared; the sound was like a mocking laugh. All three heads faced them, eyes glowing red. The two sides sat unmoving, staring each other down. The city crackled and burned to the ground around them. People screamed as buildings collapsed on themselves. The warning siren wailed through the greasy gray morning sky. Buttercup heard a pebble falling from the buildings the robot was latched onto. Without a second thought, she grabbed her sister and took off at full speed. With a piercing scream, the robot lunged at them, smashing through everything in its path.

"Bubbles! Fly! Fly as fast as you c-!" Buttercup was caught off violently, smacked out of the air by a devastating explosion. Bubbles spun around and screamed as the sun was blocked out. Missiles filled the air, pouring from the back of the robotic nightmare. Her horror was short lived, one of the dragon heads fired a searing blue laser at her, sending her crashing through half a city block. Bubbles landed, just in time to take off flying again. The explosions seemed to trail her with every missile the collided with the ground. She screamed yet again, watching the robot come barreling towards her with impossible grace. It moved far more like an animal than a machine.

"Buttercup?! Where are you!?" She screamed dodging the swinging tail. The robot continued on longer than she'd imagined, ending in a razor sharp duranium scythe, capable of slicing down entire buildings. There was no doubt in her mind that it could cut down a Powerpuff girl. Just as it came slicing toward her, a missile exploded against her leg, sending Bubbles spiraling through the air. She just barely avoided certain death, only to face it yet again. She opened her eyes and watched a the searing green laser come flying her way.

"BUTTERCUP!? WHERE ARE YOU!?" She screamed again, tears blinding her vision. As she flew over the green laser, she came face to face with the other dragon head, firing a blue laser directly at her. She screamed and threw her arms up, grunting when a force rammed into her side and saved her life. Bubbles opened her eyes to see her sister's sweat streaked face.

"Buttercup! You're alive!" She held onto the green puff with all her strength. Buttercup was flying faster than she could remember, weaving in and around buildings at blinding speed. Over her shoulder, Bubbles watched the robot give chase, tearing through the buildings Buttercup dodged, knocking down more ahead of them in an attempt to halt her path. Bubbles clutched her sister tightly, sobbing as the sky once again filled with missiles. An endless scream of whistling and the drowning boom of countless explosions nearly deafened them both.

"Bubbles! Shoot those rockets out of the sky! Hurry!" Buttercup barked. Her voice was panicked and worn down. Bubbles wasn't sure how many hits she'd taken, but she could tell her sister was slowing down. With a nod, she fired her heat rays in a wide sweeping pattern, taking out the numerous projectiles. They heard a primal scream, one that was quickly matched by a child's scream.

"Buttercup! Fly up! Fly up!" Without a seconds hesitation, Buttercup swooped up at a ninety degree angle. So sharp and so sudden was her turn, that both took the brunt of her own sonic boom, quite literally knocking them from the sky. Buttercup's head spun, and she felt her consciousness slipping. Below them, a massive pink laser took out everything where they had once been. Staring at the dug trench, Buttercup closed her eyes and moaned. She grit her teeth, an image of Blossom's haunted eyes in her mind. She felt her blood begin to boil...she could hear her sister's pained scream. She could see her tear streaked face and watched the blood trickle down her bare back.

She saw her sister's unbreakable stare, her perfect determination. Buttercup opened her eyes and grit her teeth. With a sharp spin, she avoided the scythe heading her way. Mojo screamed as Buttercup shot off at full speed, weaving around the robot and luring it deeper into the city. He took off in full pursuit, just as a blue streak tore free from a collapsed hotel. Just on the outskirts of town, the battle was not going unwatched. The most unlikely trio stood in horror, keeping just out of sight as destruction wracked a city that had...come know as their home.

"No way! The girls can't beat that thing!" The once proud rivals of the Powerpuff Girls stood in complete paralysis. Never in their lives had they imagined their father capable of something so...hellishly effective. In a few short moments, the Powerpuff Girls had been rendered utterly defensive. There was no opening to exploit, no tactic that could overwhelm the endless array of powers the robot possessed. At this rate, the Powerpuff Girls had no option but to lose.

Boomer scanned the skies, on the verge of tears, and clutching his head. Every so often he looked back at the fight and whimpered. Butch, in a shocking display, stood completely still. His mouth hanged open, but his tongue stayed in place. His trembling green eyes tried to keep up with his frantic blue-counterpart. Brick stood at the helm, practically frothing. He wanted nothing more than to dive in and help his rival, to save the annoying tomboy so he could beat her one day. All three boys remained paralyzed by fear...and by the growing pool of darkness behind them. After a tense moment of silence, Brick spun around and thrust a mitt at their disappointed benefactor.

"We're going to help them!" Brick shouted. Aku narrowed his eyes and sneered.

"**You will do no such thing...you have failed to fulfill your obligations to Aku,"** Boomer whimpered and kept scanning the skies.

"Where's Blossom?" Butch stomped his foot and thrust his mitt toward the fight. They could hear Buttercup scream, a bloodcurdling sound. Aku remained unmoved.

"They're gonna lose! They can't beat that stupid thing!" He barked, his head jerking to the side with a violent twitch. Aku narrowed his eyes.

"**It would seem you have forgotten your purpose...no matter, I shall take back that which belongs to Aku," **The boys stumbled back in horror. Boomer searched the sky more frantically; she had to be coming. She was the hero, she had to show up. She just had to! Brick shook his head and glared at Aku. His eyes...were pleading.

"W-What? N-no way! I like this! You can't have it back!" Butch clutched his chest tightly and ground his teeth together. The thought of losing what they'd been given. He turned back and stared at the blue streak flying through the hundreds of explosions sprinkling the skies.

"Blossom should be here..." Boomer cried, watching as Aku descended on them. Brick made one last effort to fight back, throwing a punch at the demon. It uselessly passed through his approaching claw.

"We're gonna help our...our friends!" The boys tried to find the courage to fight, tried to find some kind of counter to the demon's pull. But, in the end their efforts proved futile. Muffled screams joined the sounds of war behind them and three bodies fell limp to the ground. As the darkness faded away, the Rowdyruff Boys laid helplessly on the ground. The boys they had become...now just a passing dream.

* * *

The Professor's frozen fingers dug into the next precipice. It took nearly all of his strength to pull himself up to the ledge. Panting, he fell forward and stared at the blinding white snow. His jacket was torn...he'd fallen more than once. The sword strapped on his back was quickly draining his admittedly meager energy reserves. The Professor shuddered and stared up. The summit seemed miles away still. Narrowing his eyes, he climbed to his feet and stumbled to the next cliff, digging his bloodied fingers in and pulling himself up.

"I have...have to get...get to the top...the girls need me...I have to do this..." In the distance, he heard a goat bleat, but thought nothing of it. His mental faculties were devoted to ignoring his numb fingers. Devoted to ignoring the storm whipping at his body. As he climbed, he could scanned for any sign of the monks who had gone before him. Perhaps they'd left behind a piece of bread, a frozen cracker...even a glove. Anything to aid his ascent.

"Th-th-that sound a-a-again..." He murmured. When he laid down, nearly beaten, on the next cliff, he heard the goat's cry closer now. The scientist pushed himself up to his hands and knees, his snow streaked hair falling over his eyes. Just barely visible through the blizzard was a tall form, stalking closer to him.

'Maybe it's one of the monks...' he thought hopefully. The Professor stood up, breathing heavily. A violently shiver overtook him, forcing him to double over and rub his numb arms. He heard the goat's cry and looked up, screaming when a powerful fist rammed into his stomach. Another, vice like claw came around and caught him by the neck, holding him over the cliff he'd just climbed. The Professor stared in horror at the monster. A frigid goat man, with bulging arms and legs. Twisted horns rose up from his head, and his wicked eyes seemed to be glaring into the Professor's soul.

"Pl-please...let me...please..." He stuttered, gasping when the goat clutched his throat tighter. It gave a cry and flung him across the cliff, rolling through the snow and stopping just inches from the edge. The Professor gasped and quickly stumbled back, only to be forcefully thrown over. He screamed when the ram's horns collided with his back. The goat caught his leg and swung him around, ramming him brutally into the side of the mountain. The Professor dropped to the ground, barely able to move. The goat cried and kicked him toward the edge once more. Had it not been for his coat catching on a jagged stone, the scientist may have very well plummeted to his death.

"N-No...girls...I...c-can't m...I have to..." The Professor weakly climbed to his feet. Hot blood streamed down his back. His leg was throbbing and he could barely stand to put any pressure on it. Weakly opening his eyes, he lost his breath when the goat rammed him a final time, sending him flying over the edge. The Professor plummeted through the blizzard and landed, thankfully, on an outcropping several yards below. He heard the goat's cry, but faintly...as he slipped into a final slumber.

* * *

Buttercup dashed behind the nearest building, panting and closing her eyes tightly. She held her breath, listening to the mechanical terror come to a halt.

"Come out Powerpuff Buttercup, your time to die is now and it is at this time that your life shall be ended by me, Mojo Jojo!" Buttercup grit her teeth and resisted the urge to retort. Mojo wanted to lure her out, and he knew she couldn't back up and insult she flung at him. Buttercup had never worked her mind so hard, even on her history test the day before. What would Blossom do?

'Gotta find a weakness...gotta find an opening...' Buttercup opened her eyes, nearly choking in horror. She had to find Bubbles. The green puff swallowed and took off at full speed. She narrowed her eyes and ignored the clanging, swooshing sound of the robot coming in hot pursuit. Without her sister, she was as good as dead. And...no, she shook her head. She wouldn't think that. Bubbles was strong...stronger than Buttercup herself. She would be fine.

"Bubbles! Come out!" Buttercup shot into the sewer and came back up at another street, flying as high into the air as she could. When the robot whipped around to face her she quickly dodged the blue laser fired by the dragon's head and screamed at the top of her lungs. The supersonic waves arced out and set off the missiles flying at her. The robot lurched up through the explosions, unhindered by her efforts. She dodged the six slicing claws and dove through the piercing spider legs. Buttercup realized, too late, that she was falling straight toward one of the heads. The dragon opened its mouth and unleashed a green blast of heat. Buttercup clutched her eyes and waited for the searing impact.

Instead, she lost her breath as something collided with her side and knocked her out of the air. They hit the ground in a pile and quickly separated. Buttercup's glare became a tearful smile of excitement. Without a moment's hesitation, the two flew into each others arms.

"Bubbles! Stay with me! We can't get split up again!" Buttercup noticed with a grimace, the blood streaking Bubbles' face. Somehow they were able to fight the same robot, completely unaware of each others plight.

"I...I will...B-Buttercup I...we...we can't," A primal scream cut her off as the robot lurched up and came at them. Buttercup grabbed her sisters hand and thrust her arms out.

"Use the Starburst Ray!" Reacting instinctively, Bubbles fired alongside Buttercup. The two rays combined into a gleaming burst of swirling green and blue. The laser collided with the advancing robot, failing to slow its progress in the slightest. Buttercup cursed and grabbed her sister's hand. As the two fled, she wracked her brain to come up with a plan.

"Try the Mega Blast!" They spun around again, quickly taking out the advancing missiles with their heat rays. The girls thrust their hands out and again fired, more powerful rays of energy this time. They combined into a glistening sphere of teal light, which exploded outward at the robot. With a crazed laugh, the robot's dragon heads lurched up and fired back their lasers, consuming the Mega Blast. Buttercup and Bubbles were caught up in the resulting explosion and flung through the air. Buttercup stared through the light and reached out for her sister.

"No! Bubbles!" She collided with a building and lost sight of the blue puff. Mojo wasted no time in knocking over the building Buttercup had landed in. The green puff flew into the sky, once again weaving between lasers and projectiles. She jumped over the tail-scythe and scanned the city streets frantically. Her sister was nowhere to be found.

"No...not Bubbles...please no...NO! NO! NO!" Buttercup screamed and held her head as she flew away, luring the robot with her. She could see Blossom's haunted eyes; she watched her walk out the door. She could see Bubbles' look of absolute horror; she watched her disappear in a ray of light. Buttercup screamed and began to sob, hitting the ground and rolling, avoiding the pivoting spider legs crashing down around her. For a moment...a fading moment she debated letting one of them pierce her. In her mind she again saw Blossom's haunted eyes. She again saw Bubbles' horror-stricken scream.

"You cannot win! It is only a matter of time before Powerpuff Blossom arrives! Then...then MOJO WILL HAVE HIS TIME!" The maniacal laughter that followed pierced Buttercup's soul, and brought new, angry tears to her eyes. Inside, she could feel a tightly wound coil suddenly snap.

"You...I won't...I won't let you...let you get away with this!" She took off again, her eyes narrowed and her jaw set. Though she was forced to stay on the defensive, inside her heart was on fire. She'd returned to the question from before: what would Blossom do? In her mind's eye, Buttercup saw Blossom's determined glare, even through the haze of tears and humiliation. She narrowed her eyes...and Buttercup knew the answer.

* * *

The Rowdyruff Boys began to come to, just as Buttercup and Bubbles were separated for a second time. They sat up, looking around in a bleary eyed daze. Chaotic as they were, their attention was quickly drawn to the collapsing city. By now the sirens had been destroyed, leaving behind only the sound of destruction. In what was, perhaps, the greatest calamity to befall the city of Townsville, all of its citizens had been evacuated to underground bunkers. Only the Powerpuff Girls remained, fighting their deadliest and oldest foe.

Brick leaped to his feet and cackled, staring at the destruction with the wide-eyed awe of a newborn. He kicked his brothers and pointed at the sea of fire and ruin before them.

"Dudes look! Is that Pops?! Ho man! He's tearing the place up!" He cheered, grinning and walking closer. Boomer got up with a spring in his step, running to the edge of the hill where they stood watching the fight. He beamed and clapped his hands.

"Pops is whooping those wussy girls! That's awesome!" Brick glared at Boomer and punched him in the face. Boomer stumbled back and rubbed his cheek.

"Shut up Boomer! Butch are you seeing this?!" Butch slowly stood up and joined them. When his eyes fell on the blue streak rushing through the air, his grin faded and he unconsciously took hold of his left hand. Boomer shoved Brick and glared at him.

"I don't wanna shut up!" Brick punched him again, knocking Boomer down the hill.

"Shut it, Boomer! Butch, man isn't this awesome?" Butch kept a close watch on the disaster taking place just miles from them. The whole city had become an arena...one that was quickly crumbling to the ground. The air was screaming with the sound of laser fire and missile explosions. He could hear an evil laugh, and heard a pair of screaming voices. He twitched and narrowed his eyes, still holding his left hand. His eyes drifted down to it. Brick glared and put his hands on his hips.

"Dude, what's your problem?" Boomer had rejoined the two and was half-glaring at Brick while also giving Butch a concerned look. Neither was prepared for the green ruff's reaction when an explosion, bright enough to be seen over the din of napalm showers, went off and a pair of screams fill the air. They could faintly see a blue streak spiraling out of control.

"We have to help them!" Without further explanation, Butch took off, flying toward the city. Brick snatched at his leg but missed, staring in horror.

"What?! Man get back here! Let them get clobbered!" Brick and Boomer watched the dark green streak arc through the air. Boomer quickly took off, leaving Brick behind.

"W-Wait for me man!" Brick stared in horror. He grit his teeth and clench his fists. After a brief internal struggle, he too left for Townsville. Bubbles fell heavily through the air, barely on the brink of consciousness. She gasped breathlessly when a green streak snatched her and pulled her to the ground. Too weak to open her eyes, she smiled thankfully.

"Thanks Buttercup..." She heard an uncomfortable grunt and opened her eyes. Butch stared back at her, blushing ever so slightly. She gasped and weakly climbed to her feet. The Rowdyruff boy kept her held steady, staring at her closely.

"Are...are you alright?" He asked, his voice cracking. Bubbles shook her head, turning to watch the robot chase after her sister. She hiccuped and burst into tears, throwing herself at the nearest source of comfort. Butch blushed dark red, and held her awkwardly.

"We can't win! We need Blossom's help! It's so hopeless!" She cried, clinging to Butch. The other two ruffs landed nearby, staring in confusion. Faintly, Brick could feel a memory tugging at the corner of his mind. Boomer blinked and could smell old ink and age-worn paper. Something...almost like a dream trying to become a reality.

"What's going on here? Butch what are you doing?" Butch narrowed his eyes and peaked out from their secluded location. The green puff was doing her best to avoid Mojo's robot, but she couldn't run forever...she was going to run out of city to hide in.

"You...they need help so...we'll help...or I will," He muttered, tripping over his words. Bubbles shook her head and stood up, clutching her sore body and peaking out at the fight. Her hands flew to her mouth and fresh tears rolled free when she heard Buttercup scream her name.

"No...no you guys have to run...please, or else you'll get hurt!" Butch stood up straight and shook his head. A twitch wracked his stern expression.

"But...no I can't!" Boomer ran up to them, tugging on Butch's arm. For some reason, his gaze drifted to the sky. Someone should be coming...they needed someone else, but where was she?

"Butch we gotta go!" Brick watched silently, his stomach quivering. He had froze when he heard the green puff's cry. The Rowdyruff leader shook his head and approached Bubbles. She was good at dodgeball, he thought randomly.

"No we're gonna stay here and figure out how to stop that thing...?" He trailed off, his order becoming a question. Bubbles smiled and gave him and Boomer a fierce hug.

"Thank you boys..." The Rowdyruff Boys blushed, stirred by awkward feelings they couldn't remember feeling. All three tenderly rubbed their cheeks; somehow the memory of rubber stung painfully.

* * *

The snow fell down in blankets, coating the battered scientist. He shivered and struggled to open his eyes. Blood seeped through the snow beneath him. Icicles clung to his sweat-streaked face. The Professor could feel his mind dwindling. He was painfully aware of his own breath, of the beating of his own heart. Darkness seemed so inviting, so inevitable. His heart beat slower with every shallow breath he took. He couldn't even feel the cold anymore.

"Will you give up so easily?" A voice asked, tugging at the depths of his soul. The Professor shuddered. He saw his beautiful little blonde-haired angel, his sweet little Bubbles. She sat in the living room, coloring on several sheets of paper stuck together. Her playtime was made all the more magical by the blissfully off-key tune she sang to herself. She looked up, seeing him walk in the room and squealed with delight. Pure...sweet Bubbles.

"Will you die and leave them to face the darkness alone?" The voice asked, rising up from his stomach. The Professor moaned. He saw his beautiful little raven-haired warrior, his feisty little Buttercup. She was furiously pounding on a side of beef, grunting with every hit. She, unbeknownst to her, sang the theme song from Rocky as she worked. When she saw him, she threw up her fist and grinned. Proud...feisty Buttercup.

"Have you no heart? Can you not be their light?" The voice asked, piercing the back of his mind. The Professor shuddered. He saw his beautiful little auburn-haired genius, his bright little Blossom. She sat crowded over a pile of books far too thick for her age, writing furiously. As she turned the page in one, she scribbled more as a smile spread across her lips. She saw him and gasped, smiling as she held up her equation. Perfect...bright Blossom.

"Will you let them go? Will you simply hand them over to evil?" The Professor clenched his eyes and balls his hands into fists. He slowly forced his eyes open, breathing fiercely. With all of his strength, he sat up, and cringed.

"Go Professor! Get up and fight!" He opened his eyed suddenly and narrowed them dangerously. He climbed to his feet, his torn jacket falling to the ground. His skin was chapped and red, nearly frozen. But his eyes...they were on fire. The scientist looked down at his feet and saw the sword. With shocking strength, he hefted it onto his back and began to climb again.

For his girls...there was no mountain too high, no demon too strong. He would fight...and he would win.

* * *

Buttercup tore through the city, desperately searching for her sister. She knew now what she had to do. As the robot closed in, she was shocked to hear a voice cry out.

"Hey Pops! Back off!" Both participants in the fight turned in shock to see the Rowdyruff Boys arrive on the scene. Mojo, especially was taken aback. He froze staring at the boys floating across from him. Buttercup was shocked, but took that moment to flee, spotting her sister in the distance. Mojo lowered the bull's head to the boys and glared at them through the cockpit. The boys were disgusted at the greasy, horrific state their father was in.

"What are you doing...what is the meaning of this intrusion...what is your reasoning for interrupting YOUR OWN FATHER'S TRIUMPH!?" The boys floated back. Brick saw Buttercup hurrying to Bubbles and nodded. He thrust his mitt in the robot's face and glared.

"Well...it's our job to defeat the Powerpuff Girls! So...we won't let you do it!" The robot threw its head back as Mojo began to scream with insane laughter. The boys floated back nervously. Butch swallowed and clenched his fists. Mojo lowered the bull's head to face them again, wearing a crazed grin.

"Is that so? Well...it would seem that Mojo has run out of use for...for such failures...yes failures...there is no need for a failed experiment...all obsolete, useless works are to be destroyed!" Boomer rubbed his head and looked at his brothers in confusion.

"What does that mean?" The boys dove out of the way when the robot lunged at them. All three were horrified to find just how powerful it was...and just how hard avoiding its strikes really was. In an instant, Butch was sent flying through the air in a shower of explosive blasts. Boomer went after him, but was taken out by a vicious slap from one of the six flailing arms. And Brick...Brick had become Mojo's new target.

"YES! RUN! RUN! THERE IS NOWHERE TO HIDE!" Mojo screamed, laughing with frenzied tears rolling down his face. He couldn't have his Blossom, so her pathetic counterpart would have to suffice. The robot took off after Brick, with the other Rowdyruff Boys in hot pursuit. Buttercup landed near Bubbles, quickly gathering her hysterically sobbing sister into her arms.

"Bubbles...you're alright...you're alright..." She gasped out, over and over. Bubbles wailed and buried her face in Buttercup's shoulder.

"We need Blossom! We can't win! I'm so scared!" Buttercup grit her teeth and pulled back, panting. Bubbles gasped when she saw the look in Buttercup's eyes. It was a look she had only seen twice before...a look that somehow made her feel courageous.

"Stop talking like that! I...I'd rather Blossom be here...because I'm really scared and she's a lot smarter than me, but we can do this Bubbles! Blossom wouldn't give up! And neither will we!" Buttercup grabbed her sister's shoulders and narrowed her eyes. Bubbles tried to find her voice, but the look in Buttercup's eyes rendered her speechless. Buttercup licked her lips and gave her sister a comforting squeeze.

"Don't you remember? Do you? The Powerpuff Girls never lose! And...and Blossom isn't the Powerpuff Girls! We are! We're just as valuable as her!" Buttercup pulled her hands back and clenched her fists, watching the Rowdyruff Boys...their worst enemies valiantly keeping the robot occupied. Buttercup turned back to Bubbles, who had new tears rolling down her cheeks. Buttercup gently wiped the tears away and took her sister's hands.

"We're the Powerpuff Girls! We don't lose! And...Blossom would want us to win! This is our chance to prove we're just as brave as her! Just as strong!" Bubbles started to respond, but Buttercup shook her head and tightened her hold on her hands.

"No! No! This is our chance, Bubbles! Our time! We...we're going to break the rule! We're going to be powerful! We're going to be invincible! We...we're going to save the world!" Bubbles' lips quivered, and a watery smile crossed her lips. She could feel it in her grip...in her stance...in the glow of her skin. Buttercup was...using more.

_I can help Bubbles...you can trust me...I would neeever lie to youuuu_

She'd broken the rules. Bubbles nodded and wiped her eyes.

"Alright...I'll try..." Buttercup smiled and pulled her into a tight hug. Bubbles hugged her back, with all her strength. She closed her eyes and held her breath. She could feel Buttercup's heart still beating. She could almost feel the courage and strength rushing through her green-eyed sister. And despite the cuts and bruises...she knew they could win.

_I always said Buttercup should be the leader_

"Let's do this..." Buttercup whispered, pulling back. Bubbles nodded, and in her eyes Buttercup could see the look. She was glowing, she was ready too. Buttercup nodded and the two took off back into the fray.

"Not so fast, Mojo Jojo!" They cried, coming to a halt across from the robot. Mojo spun, a hysterical, wild look in his eyes. The metal nightmare writhed and lashed wildly, as if it had a mind of its own. His eyes trembled as he stared at the Powerpuff Girls. They seemed different somehow. They made him think of her, and his rage bubbled over.

"You've returned for more...if it is more you want than you shall receive more! I shall DESTROY YOU!" The Rowdyruff Boys started to fly back into the fight but Buttercup shook her head. Something about the green puff...was so compelling they had to obey. In silence, the ruffs slipped away from the fight.

"Scatter," Buttercup whispered. When the robot lunged, the two fell into the scatter formation. To their shock, the dragon heads immediately went for them, following them perfectly. Buttercup zipped around the blue laser fired her way, while Bubbles flew over the green laser launched at her. They whizzed around the robot and through the coils of spider legs. With their newly enhanced strength, the girls put their mitts together and launched another Starburst Ray at the robot's back. It glanced off, causing the black liquid inside to pulse rapidly.

"What is that stuff?" Bubbles asked. Buttercup had no time to respond, the robot came at them full force. This time the two stuck together, fleeing with a purpose. Buttercup had a plan...but they weren't ready to use it yet. If it missed, they wouldn't get a second chance.

Mojo followed them, eyes frantically scanning the city for any sign of Blossom. His entire plan, his entire life, hinged on her appearance. His destiny was to destroy her on that day, and without her, his destiny could not be completed. Where was she? Why was she avoiding him? These lesser creatures...they were no match, none was a match for Mojo Jojo. None save for the Perfect Little Girl.

"You will come to me...I will crush them, and you will show yourself. And we shall have our battle, our confrontation, our final showdown. And it shall be this showdown in which you lose your life to me, Mojo Jojo!" The Chemical X pumping through the robot gave it unlimited power, unlimited energy. The AI running the dragon heads prevented them from out planning him. They were programmed from Blossom's very brainwaves. There was no trick the two puffs could devise that they would not know to counter.

"You...will...lose...Powerpuff Girls..." He whispered, clutching his controls tighter. Octi sat on the dashboard, watching the fight with a blissfully unaware smile.

* * *

The Professor panted, climbing onto the ledge with his newfound reserves of strength. As he rose to his feet, he noticed the dark figure stalking through the blizzard. He heard a goat's cry and steeled his nerve. Walking with a purpose, the Professor marched through the wind, facing down the monster.

"You...let me pass," The goat cried and snorted, glaring at him with evil eyes. The Professor swallowed and took a step back, his foot sliding over the edge. He quickly hurried forward again. Now he was painfully aware of just how close to the edge he was. The goat cried and charged at him. The Professor stepped to the side, yelping when the goat spun on a dime and knocked him through the air. The scientist's bare back hit the mountain side and another deep gash tore his flesh. The Professor rolled away from the following charge and stumbled back. The goat roared and charged him again.

"The sword!" He said with a gasp. With all his strength, he tugged the broadsword free and stepped away from the goat's charge. As it whipped around to attack him, he raised the sword and blocked the attack. Still, it hit with enough force to send him stumbling backward. The Professor gasped and dodged yet another charge, once again parrying a following attack. As he stumbled back, the Professor stabbed the sword into the ground.

"Oh no," The goat took off running for him, but the Professor rolled to the side, ducking under the swat. He jerked the sword free and swung it, cleaving the goat's side. The monster gave a hideous scream and stumbled back snarling. Within him the Professor could feel an uncanny...sense of self taking over. He narrowed his eyes and dodged the next attack and subsequent swat, once again he brought the sword down, slicing the goat's arm. The monster jerked back and held its bleeding appendage tightly.

The two stared each other down, buffeted by the freezing wind. The Professor's hair was a wild mess, blowing every which way. Somehow, the goat seemed unaffected by the wind, its beard not even fluttering. Though it was a powerful weapon, the sword was ridiculously heavy. As the scientist's weak arms began to give out, the goat gave a cry and charged again. A moment of brilliant hit and the Professor dropped to the ground. Just as the goat ran over him he leapt to his feet and hefted up the sword. With a running start he jumped and swung it with uncharacteristic grace.

The Professor held position, sword just by the goat's ankles. The goat stared in breathless awe, taking a weak step back. The world split in two as its top of slid apart and the monster toppled backward, over the side of the mountain. The Professor moaned and fell to his knees. His strength...seemed to have been born again. As he peered up at the summit, still high above the clouds, he felt rejuvenated. Sheathing the ancient sword, he once more ascended the mountainside.

* * *

It seemed with the passing moments, that Mojo's madness grew. Where previously hundreds of missiles had filled the air, it now felt like thousands. The dragon head lasers were flying without rhyme or reason, and the spider legs were viciously striking at anything in their path. The two puffs weaved in and out of the remaining buildings, doing what little they could to slow their slithering assailant.

"Buttercup, what are we going to do? We can't hurt that robot!" Bubbles cried, weaving around another obstacle. Buttercup narrowed her eyes and glanced back. They just needed the perfect opportunity, then she could try her plan. Buttercup turned back and yelped, colliding with one of the remaining buildings. She smashed through the other side and rolled to a halt, groaning. The robot was quickly upon her all appendages aimed at the downed puff.

"I HAVE LOCATED YOU!" Mojo cackled. Buttercup watched in horror as a blue streak flew out of the background and slammed into the bull's head. Mojo screamed and Bubbles went toppling through the air. Buttercup narrowed her eyes and held out her hand.

"Bubbles! Throw your arm out! Trust me!" Bubbles opened her eyes and saw Buttercup. Her eyes widened and a knowing look spread across her face. She flung her legs back and held out her arm. Buttercup began to run backward and, just as Bubbles came into range, jumped up and linked arms with her sister. They briefly smiled at each other as Buttercup pulled Bubbles over her. Mojo righted himself just in time to watch the two make the first spiral.

"What is the meaning of this? What is this technique which I have not seen, which is to say it was in no database...a database created from Blossom herself!" He screamed and watched the two become a furiously spinning tornado of swirling green and blue light. The tornado shoot out and whipped back around, heading straight for Mojo. The robot tried to prepare itself, but it came far too fast for even the simian genius to react. He screamed when it collided with the robot's chest. Faintly, he heard two voices—strong and powerful—crying out.

"Sonic Screwdriver!" Mojo tugged at his fur and pounded his fists on the console.

"NO THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! CURSES! CURSES! CUUURSEEEES!" The tornado ripped through the robot, and Mojo's cries were drowned out in the brilliant explosion that followed. The tornado slowly fizzled out, becoming the twirling puffs once more. They fell apart, landing in a dizzy pile on the ground, several feet from one another.

"Oh wow...that never gets boring..." Buttercup moaned. She sat up and turned back, gasping with joy to see the robot coming down. Bubbles sat up and stuck her tongue out, rubbing her stomach.

"I still don't like that..." She shrieked and spun around, staring in wide-eyed awe at the robot collapsing in front of them. The two turned and looked at each other, bursting into wild laughter.

"We did it! We beat him! We beat him!" Buttercup shouted, pumping her fist in the air. Overwhelmed with giddiness, Bubbles flung herself into her sister's arms and showered her with kisses. Buttercup giggled and spun the blue puff around, still pumping her other arm in the air.

"We won! We won!" They shouted, bouncing up and down and laughing uproariously. They were quickly joined by their new found allies, who nearly tackled them with praise and congratulations.

"That was awesome!"

"You were so wicked!"

"That was the coolest thing ever!" Mojo landed in a heap on the ground, sobbing silently while the five kids behind him celebrated. He stared at his destroyed robot, tears rolling down his bruised green cheeks.

'Why did you not come?' He thought in despair. The fight was over...he had lost...and Blossom had never shown.

* * *

The storm broke as the Professor gripped the edge of the summit. Bloody and broken, he pulled himself up through the storm and fell, face first, into the freezing snow. Barely able to pull the heavy broadsword, he dragged it with him to the edge of the plateau, staring out over the horizon. Even as a man of science, he lost his breath in religious awe. Even a second time, the view was spectacular.

"So you've finally returned," The Professor glanced back over his shoulder, his jaw dropping. Using all of his strength, he climbed to his feet. Blood poured across his bare, beet-red chest. One arm hanged limply at his side. One eye-swollen shut, he couldn't believe the sight before him.

"You..." The apparition standing just scant feet away from him, looked exactly like him--reflected through an archaic mirror of history. The apparition smiled, and the Professor once again felt the swelling power he'd relied on earlier. He dropped the runic broadsword to the ground and took a few steps closer to the man.

"Who are you?" He asked, finally standing up straight. He felt so strong, so powerful, that not even the blistering, but gentle breeze could faze him. The ancient specter, his mirror image, spoke in a low voice. A voice that was his own.

"They call me...Jack," The Professor stared in shock, unsure of just how to react. The Samurai smiled back and waved his hand.

"There is no need to be frightened...I am not truly here," The Professor laughed and lowered his head.

"Of course...you died a long time ago," The Samurai smiled and walked closer to the Professor. He laid a hand on his new self's shoulder.

"And just as such...I was born a while ago," The Professor nodded. He'd already surmised as much. The answer was finally clear, he had found the truth. Professor James Utonium...was the Nameless Prince reborn. He was the reincarnation of the hero who had killed Aku.

"Then...you must know why I'm here?" The scientist asked. Jack nodded and walked to the edge of the mountain. The Professor followed him and the two stared out over the horizon.

"You wish to destroy the wicked Aku...but the sword of righteousness has been lost," The Professor nodded. That about summed up his situation perfectly. Not bad for a ghost. Jack clenched his fist and turned to the Professor. His gaze was serious and determined.

"The sword...is not the key to defeating Aku," The Professor raised an eyebrow, stroking his chin. All other media had pointed the other direction. The sword was the only thing that could harm Aku, let alone kill him. Jack shook his head and looked to the sky.

"My father first claimed the sword...when it was forged from his own righteousness. I wielded the sword in the fight against Aku...but in the end it took something more to defeat him," The samurai leveled his gaze with the Professor, and gently touched his chest, "The Spirit of Righteousness is what holds the power to defeat the demon. The sword was merely...a physical form of this spirit," Jack approached the Professor and gently touched his chest.

"That spirit also resides within you..." The Professor shook his head and smoothed out his ragged hair. He cringed as the combat high wore off, and his wounds began to scream.

"I can't fight that monster...I could barely fight that guardian," The Samurai nodded.

"You are correct...but your Spirit of Righteousness can reach out to those who can...a new sword is needed, one far more powerful than the sword forged by my father's spirit," The Professor narrowed his eyes. Had that been what the monks meant? The pieces...were beginning to fall into place.

"The girls..." He whispered. Jack smiled and nodded.

"Take your Spirit...and awaken theirs, and they shall become the new Sword of Righteousness, and shall slay all evil from this world," The Professor closed his eyes and smiled. This had been the answer he was seeking. The answer to defeating Aku.

"Thank you," The Professor opened his eyes, but found that his companion was gone. He smiled as he picked up the Scotsman's sword and began to head down the mountain. The Samurai wasn't gone...he lived inside him. And now...he was armed with something far more powerful than any mortal blade. Now, he was armed with the truth.

* * *

At the edge of the world, laid a barren wasteland. Littered with the oil-streaked carcasses and shattered insect robots, with a trail of blood and bile leading to the heart of the field. A pillar, growing up from the ground and stretching to the heavens. Within, a small child walked on barely capable legs. As she walked into the fiery throne, she felt her sense of longing come to an end. He sat across from her, watching with burning eyes. His powerful black body pulsed with faint red cracks. Still...he managed to speak with unshakable power when she stopped in front of him.

**"What is it you want from Aku?"** She had traveled the world, following...something neither of them could understand to find him. He could feel it, and she knew it was true. The Red Child didn't have much time left.

"I need you to save me...please...I'll do anything," She took a nervous step forward and fell to her knees. Aku's chest nearly collapsed when she held out her hands, desperately reaching for him. He watched the tears trickle down her cheeks and felt...for a moment, that were he able to cry, he would. He rose from his throne and floated to her, with the grace and poise of a serpent. His eyes gleamed, as he eyes her: the perfect forbidden fruit. She was ripe with bitterness...hatred growing inside her like a new born. All this time he had sought to take her, to make the powerful Red Child his. Instead...she chose to come to him.

**"The price of salvation...is a steep price to pay, child. Will you give yourself to Aku?"** Blossom trembled when he gently caressed her face. His chest burned like a raging inferno. She stared up at him weakly, and managed to smile, despite the pain tearing her body apart.

"...I don't have any other choice..." She said with a chuckle, "I can't fight you for it...after all...I can't hope to win..." She lowered her eyes and spoke just above a whisper.

"And...I'm tired of trying..." He tilted her head up and looked into her eyes. She had seen too much...so young, but somehow her eyes were still innocent. He grinned and his wickedness perverted his friendly chuckle. Aku gently opened her lips with his powerful fingers. She closed her eyes and accepted the tendril of darkness that stretched from his hand, sucking it down with a beautiful moan.

* * *

**Author's Note: But where does an end become a beginning?**


	19. Dea Ex Vir

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Man made god...and sought to bind her.**

**Chapter 18**

* * *

The darkness faded away, and Blossom's eyes opened again. She gasped softly and looked around in wide-eyed awe. The world seemed to have taken a new timber, seemed to have opened in a way she'd never before experienced. Every sight and sound, every smell and feel...it was like being born again. She couldn't fight back the smile tugging at her lips, nor could she denying the swelling hopefulness in her chest.

The pain was gone.

As her rosy-eyed gaze drifted across the Pit of Hate, her demonic savior hovered over her, his flaming eyes tracing her new body. It wasn't so different from her old body...really it was little more than a minor tune up. But, he thought deviously, now she looked even more beautiful. Now she looked the part she was to play...his perfect minion, his ultimate ally. He frowned and gently stroked the little girl's cheek. She looked up at him, pink eyes wide with wonder. The smile on her face was like an irresistible disease. He, too, smiled.

"Why did you help me?" Her question sharpened his smile. Why, indeed, had he chosen to help her? He knew better than to believe for a second she was really asking. The Red Child was anything but stupid; she knew the answer. Malicious fingers gently trailed over her cheek, gently tipping her chin up to meet his eyes. She wanted him to say it. He wasn't about to be played by a child.

**"Why did you choose to come to Aku, child?"** Her face grew darker, her blood rushed. The Red Child giggled and looked down at her new hands.

"I felt...there was this...it was like...something was...calling me..." She shook her head and sighed, looking at him once more. Somehow, through her confusion, the smile never left her face. If anything, she seemed to be smiling more. Aku narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.

**"Aku was not calling you child..."** He felt his chest tighten, and could feel the blazing cracks in his skin coming to life. Perhaps...he had been calling her.

"But I felt...something telling me to find you. I was...I wasn't going..." The child stopped and covered her mouth. That invincible smile had finally faded, suddenly her new power seemed to vanish. She looked away and the demon could see tears welling up in her eyes. He felt the stinging pain in his chest again and reached out to her. Gently wiping a tear away, he turned her back to him. Blossom smiled and wiped her eyes, floating up to his eye level.

"I knew you could save me...because you're...you're special..." Aku chuckled and leaned closer to her. She shivered, her face grew hot and her breaths grew quick. His dark tendrils gently stroked her reborn form—Aku couldn't resist the urge—his lips pulled back in a teasing grin.

**"Perhaps...but Aku is far more interested in you, child. What is this...Powerpuff girl?"** She narrowed her eyes and brought her mitt to her chin. Always so eager to put her unparalleled mind to use. The master of masters drifted around her like a snake. His once teasing smile revealed more dangerous intention.

"What...what do you mean?" She asked, turning to look at him. She gasped when she found herself nose to nose with the demon. He narrowed his eyes and titled his head. The situation felt so deliciously familiar. She struggled to remain still, despite the comforting efforts his tendrils made to relieve her tension. Blossom's eyes widened; try as she might, she couldn't turn away when he finally replied.

**"Why do they fear you, child?"**

* * *

'The girls...are you safe? Please be alright...what about Blossom? I feel so helpless...I'm a terrible moth...a terrible guardian,' Ms. Keane thought, sitting in the cold corner of the Danger Grid. The room, designed to withstand the fullest extent of the girls' power, acted as the perfect bomb shelter. Unfortunately, the barren cube lacked any manner of telling time. The girls had been gone for so long...minutes? Hours? Perhaps even days had passed and she'd never know. Ms. Keane lowered her head and shuddered, closing her eyes for a brief moment.

_"Please do not worry...Cassandra," Ms. Keane gasped and looked up in shock. The man standing across from her was dressed in the strangest attire. A white robe and sandals, his raven hair tied in a top knot. Her initial reaction was fear. Who was this man? How had he come into the Danger Grid? But...something in his smile soothed her nerves. Somehow, she knew this man. Somehow she knew he would make everything alright._

_ "Who are you?" The man walked closer and knelt down next to her, resting a tender hand on her shoulder. Ms. Keane blushed and placed her hand on his. He was so strikingly familiar..._

_ "I am a friend...Cassandra, you must be strong. Soon...a dark cloud will fall on these children...they will seek a light to guide them...and you must be this light," His speech was so classical...so very proper and old-fashioned. She nodded and climbed to her knees. He smiled and took her other shoulder._

_ "The girls...what's going to happen?" His smile faltered, becoming a grim look of determination. Although she'd never seen his face before...her heart fluttered. She knew this man._

_ "They must face...the ultimate evil. Be strong, Cassandra Keane...your heart will be a light in the dark times to come. You must be their strength," Ms. Keane nodded and tried to lean closer. She wanted to see him more clearly. She wanted to hear his voice closer. She wanted to smell his breath, did it smell faintly of tobacco? She wanted to taste his lips...were they the same too?_

_ "I will..." She whispered, leaning closer still. He smiled, pressing his forehead against hers._

_ "Then wake up, and greet them. For they are victorious," The distance between their faces closed._

Ms. Keane's eyes opened and she looked blearily around the Danger Grid. No sign of the mysterious stranger. Had that been a dream? She touched her lips and blushed. Her school girl's excitement dwindled when she remembered. The city had fallen silent, she realized in shock. As Ms. Keane climbed to her feet and exited the lab, she could only wonder just how the fight had gone...just what kind of damage had been caused.

She gasped when she stepped outside, seeing a five-colored rainbow coming across the horizon. People were pouring out into the streets, cheering and waving frantically. Tears welled in her eyes. These tears of joy and pride fell down her cheeks like rivers, as she too joined the crowd, cheering and screaming their names.

"Bubbles! Buttercup!" Those precious girls, who had been such a mystery when they first stepped into her classroom all that time ago. They had been a nightmare then...but now. Now she couldn't imagine her life without them in it. The Powerpuff Girls. The world's greatest heroes...she was blessed to be a part of their lives.

She remembered his parting words, and couldn't resist sobbing with unparalleled happiness.

_For they are victorious_

* * *

"Fear...fear me? What are you talking about?" She was tensed; she refused to look him in the eye. Aku had seen many a powerful man deny the truth. None had done so with as much believability as the little girl now hovering before him. Like all those before her; however, it was only believable, not true. Her mind...it was an open book to him now. Her history, everything about her...was his to know. After all, the Red Child belonged to him now.

**"What of the filthy city? You were stripped of your powers, they feared you," **He whispered. Bloss shuddered and finally turned away, arms stiffly at her sides. He gently grasped her arms. She stiffened and swallowed hard. Aku leaned in close and whispered, the grin present in his voice.

**"What of your own father? Those...accursed little trinkets, designed to repress your ULTRA SUPER powers...to hold...you...back...child,"** Blossom screwed her eyes shut and lowered her head. His tentacles retained their vigilant massage, managing to relieve the unbreakable tension coursing through her.

"He's just...worried that..." Aku sneered and tightened his grip on her arms. She was rationalizing; she was refusing to answer him directly. The insolent child. The foolish little girl. She would dare to defy the great and omnipotent Aku? Blossom gasped, tears forming in her eyes when he whispered sharply in her ear.

**"Do not speak the words they wish to hear...tell Aku what it is you, and you alone, feel," **His tone left no room for extrapolation. Left no question as to just what he wanted to hear. Blossom clenched her fists and kept her eyes tightly shut. Every teasing stroke, gentle squeeze poked and prodded her wounded spirit. Every touch and whisper revitalized her, just like that life saving touch. Why should she lie for them? Was...he right?

"Maybe they are afraid..." She whispered. Both had expected some sense of defeat in her voice. Instead, it had seemed Blossom had spoken a fact. As though she had stated that the sun was hot. That chilling lack of despair moved her, gave her the courage to open her eyes.

"I've always been responsible with my power, I've always tried to do the right thing. Why are they afraid? Maybe...maybe it was wrong to lie, but I couldn't stand being..." She trailed off, sighing. Aku smiled and slithered around her. She looked up, into his eyes. He stared back into hers. Her eyes were his now. The gateway to her soul was his now. Her soul now belonged to him.

**"Held back, of course not, child. You are a POWERFUL being with...limitless potential. Why should you be restricted by such things as MORTAL concerns?"** Blossom crossed her arms and shook her head. The image of Townsville, falling apart at the seams after a simple game of tag, flashed in her mind. She lowered her head, ashamed to argue, but it was true, wasn't it? Her power was dangerous, it was something that needed to be controlled.

"I...we've caused trouble with our power...we need to control it so it won't..."

**"You are a brilliant child...surely you can control your own power,"** She looked up at him and sighed, dropping her arms to her sides. Hadn't she said the same thing? She was intelligent and very responsible. She was the mature one, wasn't she?

"I think so...but the Professor said that I've...I should wear the power-restricting bracelet again..." Aku crossed his arms and stared at her, his expression unreadable. Blossom looked up at him bashfully, hands clasped behind her back. He spoke in a low, but clear voice.

**"It is just as Aku has said...they fear you, child,"** Blossom nodded. She remembered the look of horror on Ms. Keane's face. When she talked about fighting Princess, when she got mad at Brick, when she was mad at the Professor...Ms. Keane was afraid. The Professor was surely afraid too. He was only human...

"I know...but...why? Why don't they trust me? I've always been...at least, I've always tried to be a good girl," Aku chuckled and closed his eyes, walking away from her. She watched him go, her mouth falling open. Aku stopped and stared into the flames of the Pit of Hate. He knew the answer; he'd known the answer for a while now.

**"Humans fear that which is greater than themselves...and will do anything to control it,"**

* * *

"Girls! You're safe!" Ms. Keane cried, racing out to greet the quickly descending heroines. The leading two broke away from the group and flew to her excitedly.

"Ms. Keane!" Bubbles and Buttercup flew directly into their guardian's arms, hugging her as tight as they dared to. To her part, the teacher hugged them with just as much vigor. She looked up to greet the nervous little boys landing next to them. Ms. Keane wiped her watery eyes and knelt down beside the boys.

"The Rowdyruff Boys? What are you doing here?" Bubbles jumped out of her arms and grabbed Butch's arm, making the green ruff blush.

"The Rowdyruff Boys saved me! We woulda lost if they hadn't helped..." Ms. Keane turned to Buttercup, who nodded in agreement. Butch stared at his arm—rather the girl attached to it—with a blush plastered on his face. Brick crossed his arms and glared at the ground, shuffling his feet, while Boomer still seemed to be scanning the sky.

"I am very proud of you boys! You've grown so much since you first showed up in my classroom," Brick was the only one of the three to react. He narrowed one eye and stared at Ms. Keane incredulously.

"Your classroom? We ain't never been in some stupid classroom! That's for wussies and losers!" He declared, turning to Butch for encouragement. Brick's confidence faltered when his brother continued ignoring him, still staring at the Powerpuff girl. Brick looked back at Ms. Keane, and tried to hide his nervous blush by glaring at the dirt again. Ms. Keane looked at Buttercup and Bubbles.

"What do you mean, Brick? You've been in my class for two weeks now...you've been a very good student" When you aren't causing trouble, she added mentally. Brick narrowed his eyes and rubbed his head.

"Yeah! You guys have been really fun! Butch likes to color with me and push me on the swing!" Butch twitched and stared at Bubbles in horror. Brick snickered and crossed his arms.

"What a loser," Buttercup smirked and stepped up, jabbing Brick in the shoulder with her mitt.

"Yeah, well I kick your heiny at dodgeball every day at recess!" Brick gasped and took a step back, as if physically assaulted. He narrowed his eyes and unconsciously rubbed his cheek. The green puff had a nasty fastball.

"I...I don't know what you're talking about!" He declared, shoving her back. Buttercup narrowed her eyes in confusion. Bubbles looked at Butch, who seemed torn between letting her hold his arm and trying to run away and hide.

"You remember playing, don't you Butch? I played dodgeball with you guys yesterday...oh no!" Bubbles gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Everyone turned to her expectantly.

"What's wrong Bubbles?" Ms. Keane asked. Bubbles swallowed and looked at her feet.

"I was playing dodgeball with the Rowdyruff Boys yesterday and...I forgot to tell Boomer that he was supposed to go meet Blossom!" Ms. Keane's eyes widened, and slowly she turned to face the absent-minded member of the entourage. He was still scanning the skies, as though he was waiting for someone.

"Boomer, is there something wrong?" Boomer put his mitt to his chin, closing his eyes in deep concentration. Ms. Keane could hear the phone ringing and, regrettably, had to go back inside. She motioned for the kids to follow. Brick and Boomer stayed rooted in place, while Butch finally fought back, resisting Bubbles' tug towards the house.

"What's your problem, Boomer?" Brick asked, hands on his hips. The irritation in his voice was palpable. The other super-powered kids watched as the blue-eyed ruff turned to the sky and let his arms fall to his sides.

"Where's Blossom?" He finally asked. Bubbles swallowed and looked at Buttercup, who stared at Boomer in horror. The way the blue ruff looked at her now...she really wished she had a better answer.

"I...I don't know," She whispered.

* * *

"To control it? What do you...what do you mean?" Blossom stared at his back, hands held tightly to her chest. Aku clenched his fist and grinned.

**"You possess...UNPARALLELED power, child. That alone...frightens mere mortals. But, that is not all. You possess intelligence and reason...far beyond your years. Aku has kept close watch on you, child. He knows why they fear your endless potential," **He gestured, barely a gesture at all, for her to come closer. Without a second thought, she flew to him, staring into the fire. She watched as the events of her own birth replayed before her eyes.

"Endless potential...but we're heroes...we'd never misuse our powers," She whispered.

**"To the mortal mind, the mere possibility that he may lose sovereignty is all it takes...he wants to control you. They wish to keep you restrained and keep your eyes closed,"** Blossom swallowed and watched her greatest fights play through the fire.

"Keep my eyes closed from what?" She asked breathlessly.

**"Truth,"** Aku murmured, just as entranced by the fire.

"What's the truth then?" She asked, turning away from the image to face him. Aku watched the image play out. He watched the girls fly back through space, working together to save their father. Watched as they defeated, for the very first time, their arch-nemesis.

**"They fear your intellect, child. Fear that you will realize just how powerful you truly are, and that you will realize just how...inferior mere mortals are,"** Blossom lowered her head and stared at her hands. New hands, given to her by the demon standing beside her. She touched her new body, touched her new face. She shook her head and turned to him angrily.

"But...but why wouldn't they trust me?! On just the possibility that I-" She trailed off, her anger abating as Aku's chuckle caused the room to practically shake. He finally looked away from the fire, his red eyes burning into hers. Peering, perhaps, into her very soul.

**"But you see child...for you, the possibilities are...never-ending. And now that you are with Aku, you shall be given the chance to know the truth,"** Blossom smiled and looked away. Aku smirked and rested his massive hand on her head. Blossom looked up at him, with the wide-eyed innocence of a child.

"Then, will you tell me? What am I that's so...so terrifying? I'm...supposed to be the Perfect Little Girl...I thought that was the title I was aspiring to fulfill..." She clasped her hands behind her back, giving him her full attention. The demon's chest twinged and he couldn't muster anything less than an absolutely genuine smile.

**"On that day...through eight cups of sugar, a pinch of spice, and a tablespoon of **_**tutto simpatico**_**...a rare wine simply called everything nice...and an accidental addition of," **Aku paused to chuckle at the title his remains had been given, **"Chemical X...what was the result?" **The demon leaned in closer to Blossom, her heated face close to his. His chest was fluttering in a way most...indescribable.

"The...the Powerpuff Girls..." Blossom whispered. Aku whispered his reply, his searing hot breath brushing against her skin.

**"On that day...man made god,"** Blossom gasped, hands flying to her mouth. Aku smirked and turned away, walking to the other end of the throne room, **"It is late child...go to sleep, and Aku shall speak with you when you awaken,"** Blossom looked up, ready to argue, but too awestruck to speak. She looked down at her hands, ignoring the fatigue falling over her. That one question rolled over in her mind. She remembered how it felt...her true power.

"A god...am I?"


	20. Agnus Deae

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: And through her naivete…man bound and gagged the goddess.**

**Chapter 19**

* * *

The child laid in a peaceful slumber, curled up near the flames. The Pit crackled and hummed, as always, but filled now with a new, more beautiful sound. Every gentle breath she took hung in the air like a soft and tender melody. Amidst the flames, the dark form watching her did so with a devout care. He watched every rise of her side, every hair that shifted, and every subtle twitch that shook her sleeping form. It was all he could do to remain at a distance; the demon wanted nothing more than to be with her.

** "Red Child...there is so much for me to teach you," **He murmured, closing his eyes and wearing a devious smile. There was so much to teach her, but just as much to learn from her. Though her transformation had been a quick process, he had felt a glimmer of what could be within the child. His dark extension tasted just the tip of the colossal iceberg of power lying in wait, repressed and ready to burst. His tongue still tingled, and his chest still raced.

** "I must see you...all of you, child,"** Aku rose from his throne and paced the darkness, hands clasped behind his back in contemplation, **"These two years you have lived, the world has felt but a tremor of your awesome might! But now, remade in the image of Aku, those PITIFUL shackles have been removed! And when the time comes...you shall show me all of your POWER! BA! HA! HA! HA! HA!"** Aku stroked his beard, the wicked grin refusing to leave his face. As his flaming eyes fell on the child, he again imagined that sweet nectar, the overpowering taste of…limitless potential, the delicious wine that was her infinite power. A power that now belonged completely to Aku.

Blossom's face grew darker and a sneaky smile pulled at her lips. She curled up tighter and kept her eyes shut. Aku continued to pace the Pit behind her.

** "I will admit your power in the beginning was INCREDIBLE! The speed to outrun the light of the Sun, the strength to CRUSH THE VERY PLANET ITSELF!"** Blossom grinned, listening to the whistle of his arms flying through the air. She could almost see his wild gestures. Even the flames grew quieter as Aku lowered his voice, stroking his beard again. His fiery eyes fell on his new protégé.

** "But...that was then, and much time has passed. All of your incredible power, held under tight control...what of it now?"** Aku began to walk closer to the little girl, who shivered and struggled to ignore the budding giddiness in her stomach. Blossom could feel every word reaching into her soul, stroking her ego and caressing the core of her own power. Curiosity had set in; now she, too, wished to see just what she was capable of.

A dark shadow fell over the little girl, waving and shifting in the fire light. A trick cast by the moving flames, or was the demon truly changing? The little girl felt a sudden wave of fatigue wash over her. Even when her heart raced as the demon laid his hand on her side, Blossom began to drift back into a peaceful sleep. The first peaceful sleep she'd had in so long. She sighed happily and felt the demon tense up behind her.

Aku watched the tiny goddess, and his chest swelled with that indescribable feeling. Not at all unpleasant, he noted. He rubbed her side and smiled warmly. The accursed world outside could wait; his schemes and plans of world conquest had been on hold for so many years...why should he hurry now? The little girl snuggled closer to his touch and Aku felt his face grow warm.

* * *

"You don't know? What do you mean you don't know!? She's your sister, right?" Brick asked, his arms crossed in defiance. Truth be told, he was doing his best to resist the chilling fear now throbbing in his chest. He was fighting to ignore the stricken look in the green puff's eyes. His girly counterpart was gone? That made no sense; why would she run away? She was Little Miss Perfect. She was the leader, the favorite, the best student…he would have snickered, recalling how he'd messed with her his first day of class, but catching a glimpse of the Powerpuff Girls forced him to remain somber.

"I just…look I can't…you wouldn't! Ugh…" Buttercup trailed off, turning to Bubbles for support. Unfortunately, her blue-eyed sister was just as distraught as she was. The Rowdyruff Boys, Brick and Butch rather, became increasingly uneasy with their rivals' discontent. Boomer had taken to staring at the sky again, though his hand now rested on his cheek. Somewhere in the back of his mind.

"Boomer! We're going inside, c'mon!" Boomer blinked and snapped out of his revere, following Brick and Butch into the Powerpuff Girls' home. Just as they closed the door and stepped inside, Ms. Keane set the phone back on its cradle, sighing and giving the children a weary smile. The girls floated up to their guardian, while the Rowdyruff Boys stood awkwardly in the kitchen entryway.

"What's wrong, Ms. Keane? Who was on the phone?" Bubbles asked when she realized that Buttercup was still flustered. Ms. Keane sighed and slid to her feet. She glanced at the clock and opted to start preparing supper—she would have to set a few more seats—and mentally preparing for the conversation to come.

"It was the Mayor, he said that he and Ms. Bellum would be stopping by soon," Something about the teacher's sluggish tone struck all the kids as odd.

The day had begun with a dream-like quality. It had quickly escalated into a nightmare. But now…now, somehow it felt worse. As if even the fight with Mojo was just a prelude to something far more sinister. Had this merely been a distraction? Just where had Blossom disappeared to? Mojo wanted to fight her…not the rest of them. These thoughts and many more, swirled in the young minds of the super-powered children.

"You can go play, if you'd like. Supper will be ready by the time the Mayor gets here," Ms. Keane said, turning to smile at the kids. Her smile faltered, becoming an almost tearful frown. They were just children…just little boys and little girls. But the looks they wore, looks of deep contemplation, looks of confusion, and looks of agony…these looks were more suited for individuals thrice their age. Even as the children floated out of the room, she could see that play was the furthest thing from their minds.

"Suffer the little children…" She mused, well aware of what the saying meant. More aware of how appropriate the incorrect meaning was now.

* * *

**"So, you've awakened?"** Aku asked, looking up from his throne just in time to see Blossom sitting up. She yawned—a sound most pleasing to the demon—and nodded, still staring at him in awestruck wonder. The demon's mind began to drift; his eyes merely watching the child climb to her feet and stretch with practiced poise, gracefully shaking out her long, red hair. They had much to discuss…

**"You must have many questions for the great Aku,"** He stated, gesturing with the extravagant timber that she'd come to admire, **"Ask them, and he will surely answer,"** Blossom smiled and nodded, hovering at eye level with the demon. He sat up, rigid, with his long fingers laced beneath his chin.

"Tell me everything," She said finally, catching the demon off guard. He blinked, but managed to keep his demeanor in check. Slowly he smiled and gestured for the child to take a seat at his side. With only a moment's hesitation, she sat on the armrest of his chair, staring up at him expectantly.

**"You wish to know everything of Aku's plan? A very…broad question indeed, child,"** Blossom giggled and lowered her head, staring at the hot stone floor.

"Then...first, why didn't you just…attack us again? You knew our…knew that the Professor was gone. You knew we couldn't beat you…why not just come out and take over?" A far more manageable question, the Shogun of Sorrow noted thankfully. With a wave of his arm, several visions appeared in the fire surrounding them. Blossom turned to them studiously.

**"Perhaps the first thing that…intrigued Aku was the simple fact, child, that you…survived."** The vision showed the great black dragon standing over the fallen Powerpuff Girls. It shifted suddenly, showing the world through Aku's eyes. Though they lay unmoving, Blossom could now see their power already hard at work, repairing their bodies.

**"A fatal blow that would have slain even the GREATEST OF HEROES, was a blow that these…Powerpuff Girls recovered from in mere hours,"** Aku continued, unconsciously resting his hand on Blossom's back. To her part, she unconsciously leaned into the touch.

**"And so, Aku had to know more. He listened and learned of your origin. He saw himself within you, and thirsted to know more…what children were these? Children created by man who held the power of Aku himself! Surely these children deserved his careful study…"**

**"So you see, child, while Aku could have destroyed you, could have simply CRUSHED YOU WITH HIS POWERFUL HANDS…he would have been left forever unknowing of your true power…"** Aku finished, shooing away the visions. Blossom turned and looked up at him, hand to her chin. Her lips quivered and a smile, tainted by a blush, broke out on her face. She turned away and her smile grew as a new vision formed in the flames.

_Blossom launched herself at Aku, slamming her fist into his face. Aku chuckled softly and lifted his reptilian head up so that he and Blossom were eye to eye. Blossom shuddered. Aku inched ever closer, until she could feel his searing hot breath on her face. Aku narrowed his eyes, cocking his head._

_** "You cannot hope to defeat Aku, child,"**__ Blossom shivered and clenched her eyes shut, opening them once again to stare into his.. Aku grinned, baring his twisted fangs. Blossom half-closed her eyes and nervously leaned back from the monster. Aku sniffed. Blossom's breathing sped up, a few frightened tears working their way to her eyes, even if they were lost in the rain. Aku's tongue flicked out, passing over her bleeding cheek. Blossom gasped and pulled her hands to her mouth. Aku came even closer._

"So why…the others? Why Fuzzy? The robot and Princess?" she asked, watching the scene replay again and again. Aku found that he, too, was mesmerized by the vision playing before them. His chest tingled, and without a thought he tightened his hold on the child.

**"The pink creature's heart, so filled with greed and gluttony…it made the perfect vessel for Aku's power. It was already a strong creature, but with the power of Aku, it was made into one that could…drive you, child," **The vision abruptly changed. Both frowned; Blossom drew closer to Aku, who almost willed the vision to return. Instead, he allowed it to change; now showing the dark form of Fuzzy Lumpkins. A puppet controlled by its unholy puppet master. The fight played out, and in the end the Powerpuff Girls proved victorious. Aku chuckled softly.

**"This fight…the first Aku had seen of you in your prime. It greatly impressed Aku, especially with you, child,"** Blossom swelled with pride, stifling a jubilant giggle. As the image of Fuzzy faded, to be replaced by the Robo Jojo, Aku also felt himself swelling with pride. His hold on the little girl had become…possessive and jealous. The way she rested her head against his side, the way she shivered whenever he lightly caressed her back, everything about the child…he shuddered and shook his head, focusing again on the vision.

"Why the Robo Jojo?" Blossom asked, for no reason other than to hear his explanation. Aku smiled and held out his hand, the vision seeming to rest in his hand.

**"Your conquest of the pink creature proved to Aku that more...drastic measures were to be taken if he wanted to truly see your power. What better than a machine you could not defeat?"** Blossom nodded, her gaze transfixed on the vision of her battle with the robot. A scream rang out and the two watched Buttercup fall out of the sky.

**"Aku was most impressed to see you face the machine yourself...knowing that your power was not enough to destroy it,"** The vision of Blossom shot from the ground, tearing through the weak spot on the Robo Jojo's back. As the robot began to explode, the real Blossom looked up at Aku, filled with curiosity.

"Why did you leave that one spot weak? You could have covered it with part of yourself or...something, anything to keep it from being a weakness," Aku turned to her with a thoughtful glance.

**"Perhaps...but you would have found a way to overcome the machine no matter how Aku prepared, wouldn't you, child?"** Blossom blushed and turned away smiling. Aku smiled and nodded, resting his hand on her head. For some reason she shivered.

**"All things have a weakness...even the invincible and immortal Aku," **Aku sat up and watched as the vision began to change once more, **"Your strength and resourcefulness...Aku wished to see it put to a true test. The machine was not the necessary trial for revealing your FULL POWER."**

Blossom knew what was coming next, and bristled in fury. When she faced the vision, she watched as Princess was overcome with Aku's power, creating her black armor. Aku's grin darkened; he turned his red eyes on the child. Before the anger had been a fearful emotion, now she drew great strength from it. The child grew more powerful as her hatred deepened.

"Why her?" The snipped question only further excited Aku. He had almost feared she would resist accepting her new, unbridled emotions.

**"The battle with the machine proved to Aku that...you were his greatest threat. And so, Aku searched the world for one who would be best suited in battling you!" **Aku clenched his fist and grinned as the vision began to play out the battle between Blossom and Princess.

**"None hated you more than this child...and this hate is what fueled the power Aku gave her,"** Aku looked down at the child, his eyes narrowing. Blossom stared at the vision, watched her own torture and humiliation, her eyes unblinking. With every vicious blow, she tensed. With every cutting jeer, she grit her teeth. With every scream that came from her own lips, her growl grew louder. Aku kept his expression blank, but his chest was throbbing, blazing to life. The child's power was pouring from her in waves so great that the now glowing child in the vision was a meager flicker by comparison. Aku quickly cleared his throat and presented the vision to Blossom.

**"Imagine Aku's...amazement to see that through all this you had held your power back, child," **Beneath his touch, her body was like an unbreakable metal giving off a heat greater than the sun itself. Her eyes remained unblinking, watching the vision with a poisonous glare. As the vision of Blossom knocked Princess out, Aku froze hearing the real Blossom whisper under her breath. She pulled her knees to her chest and looked up at him, speaking clearly now.

"Why the Rowdyruff Boys then? Why not...just..." She lowered her head, her rage dissipating. The Powerpuff girl swallowed and turned to face him. Aku felt the blazing cracks in his form heating up, his chest stinging painfully.

"Why didn't you just talk to me?" For all of his power, the demon wasn't sure how to respond. It wouldn't do to admit that he had been afraid. A god trembled before no one, least of all a potential disciple. All the same he was stricken by the heartbroken tone of the child's voice.

**"You...were not yet ready for Aku,"** He replied in a low, but confident voice. Blossom frowned and looked away. Thankfully she didn't press the issue, Aku was sure he couldn't lie to her again. Already, the pain in his chest was so great that he feared it would tear him in half.

"...What did you do to them? They just...acted like regular kids..." The Red Child seemed to grow warmer, and refused to look at Aku. He stroked his beard, looking into the vision that appeared in the flames.

**"The wicked children...they were made in your image, yet lacked the capacity to ever be more than mere nuisance to your awesome might. Aku gave them his power, which allowed them to begin to grow. In time, they were meant to become your greatest foes. Powerful enough that you would be forced to unleash EVERY OUNCE of your AWESOME power!" **Blossom bit her lip. They were still jerks...but they were anything but foes. Almost sensing her thoughts, Aku sighed and crossed his arms, glaring at the vision. It now showed Aku retrieving his power from the boys.

**"They could not fulfill Aku's purposes, so he took back that which he gave them...returning them to what they once were," **Blossom perked up at this, turning to her companion. He was staring into the distance, he didn't notice her incredulous look. Blossom put her mitt to her mouth and turned to the vision.

"..." She started to speak, but froze in embarrassment when a loud rumble drowned out her voice. Flaming eyebrows raised, Aku slowly looked down at Blossom, who was staring at her stomach, her cheeks dark and hot. The two sat in tense silence, until another rumble was heard. Blossom grew darker still, an impressive feat.

**"Child...do you hunger?"** Blossom slowly nodded, refusing to look at him. Aku chuckled and rose to his feet, stroking his beard. A god though she was, she was still plagued by certain mortal needs. He turned to her and clasped his hands behind his back.

**"Come child! Aku shall provide you with a DELICIOUS MEAL!" **Blossom flew into the air excitedly, grabbing his outstretched hand. As they vanished from the Pit of Hate, Aku recalled, with a dark grin, what the Red Child had whispered earlier:

_"I should have killed her,"_

* * *

Night had fallen on the city of Townsville, a veil of darkness covering the hard-at-work construction crews. The showdown with Mojo Jojo had wracked the city worse than even the oldest citizens could remember. In the scant few minutes it took for the Powerpuff Girls to show up on the scene, several casualties had already been claimed; the list of fatalities was still growing. The more spiritual of the townies saw the fight as an ill omen. The more observant of the citizens, however, were concerned with a far more pressing question: just where was-

"Mr. Mayor! Thank you, we're so glad you could make it! I just finished setting the table for supper!" Ms. Keane chirped, stepping aside to allow the city's leader entry. The Mayor scuttled inside, a blissfully ignorant look on his face like always. Ms. Sara Bellum stopped in the door and turned to Ms. Keane with a sigh.

"Cassandra...I'm very sorry that we've come by so late," Ms. Keane giggled and shut the door, touching her old friend's shoulder as they strolled into the kitchen where the children—and Mayor—were waiting

"Sara...don't worry so much, it's fine! It's nice to see you again," Ms. Bellum smiled at the school teacher and took her seat next to the Mayor, the three adults across from the five children. Ms. Bellum laced her fingers and leaned forward on the table.

"You did a very good job today. We're all very proud of you," Ms. Keane smiled as she took her seat. Sara was never one for pleasantries, always straight to business. Buttercup blushed and looked at Bubbles.

"Heh...thanks...it was...tough," Bubbles nodded, grabbing Buttercup's hand and Butch's—he was the nearest Rowdyruff boy to her.

"Yeah! If it wasn't for the Rowdyruff Boys and Buttercup we'd have lost! They were all so brave!" The heroes in question all nervously averted their gazes, unable to look at each other, let alone the adults. The Mayor piped up, taking a sip of the apple juice sat before him.

"Mm! This is exquisite, Ms. Keane! You kids were hot-stuff out there! Why, I was cheering for you the whole time! Wasn't I Ms. Bellum?" The red-haired secretary leaned back in her chair, rolling her eyes.

"He was hiding behind his wife in the corner of our bunker," The Mayor beamed and nodded.

"That's right! And I was cheering!"

"No, Mr. Mayor, you were crying," The Mayor paused and played with his mustache.

"Well, no need to argue semantics Ms. Bellum! The point is we owe these fine youngsters a debt of gratitude!" The kids beamed, though Ms. Bellum couldn't help looking incredulously at the Rowdyruff Boys.

"I am curious though...why did you boys decide to help the girls?" Ms. Keane started to respond, but Brick cut her off with a shrug and an accusatory mitt aimed at Butch.

"We were just watching, but then Butch decided 'Oh I need to be a hero' and ran of to save his," Brick snickered, grinning evilly at his brother, "to save his girlfriend!" Brick bust out laughing while Butch turned several shades of red—from the typical tomato red to a less common post office red.

"Sh-She's not my girlfriend!" Butch turned to look at Bubbles, who grinned and waved. He quickly turned away, face steaming. Ms. Bellum looked at Ms. Keane.

"Haven't they been in your class for the last...week or so?" Ms. Keane nodded, taking on her school persona.

"Yes, they have been with us for the last two weeks. And I have been very impressed with their performance! Brick tied for the highest score on our history exam yesterday," Brick perked up, eyes wide.

"I...I did?" Ms. Keane smiled and nodded.

"Yes, you and Buttercup both got perfect scores!" Brick's lips trembled and a broad grin spread across his face. He threw his hands up and let out a victorious "Whoop!" before realizing how he was acting. He quickly shoved his hands in his pockets and blushed.

'There were only two perfect scores?' Ms. Bellum thought curiously, leaning back in contemplation. The Mayor rubbed his chin and looked around the table. He pointed at each of the children then turned to his secretary.

"Ms. Bellum...I can't help but feel we are missing someone...Professor Utonium perhaps?" Ms. Bellum looked across the table, immediately noticing Blossom's absence. Ms. Keane wilted under the penetrating stare that was now cast in her direction.

"Blossom isn't here," Boomer said, answering the unasked question. Ms. Keane bit her lip and looked down, unable to meet her friend's wide-eyed look of shock. The Mayor snapped his fingers.

"I've got it! Blossom is missing!" He declared proudly. The silence that followed seemed to paralyze all those present. Even the Mayor felt a sense of foreboding in the air. Seeing that no one else would speak up, Ms. Bellum cleared her throat.

"...Where...is Blossom?" Unconsciously, every eye fell on Buttercup. The green puff kept her eyes as low as her voice.

"I don't know...she just..." Buttercup trailed off. Ms. Bellum folded her hands in her lap, trying to smother her worry in professionalism.

"Then tell us what you do know," Buttercup looked up at the secretary, and swallowed the lump in her throat. The image of Blossom's haunted eyes flashed in her mind. Buttercup sighed and nodded.

"This morning...I heard a noise and woke up...and I saw her sneaking out of our room...I uh...I stopped her and asked her what she was doing but..." Buttercup shook her head, turning to Bubbles for support. The blue puff smiled and held her sister's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. Buttercup nodded and sighed.

"She said...she was leaving to...find herself...she looked really scared. And really...I think she was in pain. She told me not to follow her...and she said that I couldn't bring her back, even if I went looking for her,"

"And now...I don't know where she is...or if she's ever coming back..." Buttercup swallowed the growing lump in her throat and squeezed her sister's hand tightly. Ms. Keane reached out, rubbing the little girl's back, just as she had that morning.

"She ran away?" Ms. Bellum asked, unable to believe that the pink puff would ever do such a thing. Buttercup slowly nodded, ashamed. Bubbles frowned and look down.

"It's not the first time..." She mumbled. Ms. Bellum pondered this, while Ms. Keane continued her silent comfort. The Rowdyruff Boys had become strangely somber, and, in a strange twist of fate, none had become more thoughtful than Boomer. He touched his cheek again, eyes distant and unfocused as a dream...a memory began to light up like a movie on a screen. A memory of Blossom, just two days ago.

* * *

"Boomer? Boomer! Are you paying attention?" Boomer blinked and looked back at Blossom, who was staring at him with an annoyed glare. He grinned sheepishly and scratched his messy hair. Her hair wasn't messy like his...it was always nice. It smelled good too.

"Uh...I guess not...what were we talking about?" Blossom sighed and rested her cheek on her mitt, fixing the ruff with the same irate stare. Boomer swallowed and looked at his paper. They were on problem five.

"Problem...five?" Blossom slowly smiled and nodded, sitting upright. As she came closer, Boomer got another brief sniff of her hair. It was hard not to, she had so much of it. And she was sitting nice and close to him.

"That's right...now—Boomer! Pay attention—if you look here, you'll see that Billy has two apples so...let's draw this here..." Boomer leaned closer, blowing the loose strands of red hair tickling his face. He watched intently as his tutor meticulously drew a very well-proportioned and detailed stick figure, labeled Billy, with two, just as detailed, apples above him. Blossom looked up at Boomer, raising her eyebrow. Boomer smiled and nodded.

"Uh huh, two apples," He repeated. Blossom smiled and nodded in return. He liked it when she smiled, it looked a lot prettier than when she was angry. Blossom was scary when she was angry...Boomer still remembered the day when she got real angry and beat up Princess Morebucks.

"Very good...now Sally has three apples," Boomer leaned in closer, trying to get a better look. Of the drawing too, but he really just wanted to see Blossom. She bit her tongue when she drew pictures, leaning close and focusing on every minor detail, every pencil stroke. He breathed in again, smelling her hair once more. He sighed contentedly and looked at the paper. A new figure, Sally, had been added, with three apples around her.

"See? Now...the question is, how many apples do Sally and Billy have together...how would you find out, Boomer?" Boomer put his mitt to his chin and narrowed his eyes in deep concentration. Blossom sat up, watching him with a small smile.

"Uh...you...add...them?" He finally stated, uncertainly. Blossom nodded and grinned.

"That's right! Now what do you get when you have two apples and add three apples?" Boomer resumed his thinking pose. Two apples...and three apples...he looked at his mitt, counting to himself. He could hear Blossom giggling, trying to stifle it. Boomer blinked and slowly turned to face her, uncertain.

"...Fi...five apples?" Blossom beamed and nodded, handing the pencil back to Boomer.

"Good job! That's the last problem!" Boomer grinned and quickly scribbled his answer in the provided blank. He paused, looking up and watching Blossom put her books back in her backpack. She looked sad, he thought.

"Blossom...what's wrong?" He asked. Excited as he was to be done...he wasn't ready to leave yet. His tutor turned back, with a noticeable look of sadness on her face. Even though she was smiling...even Boomer could tell.

"It's...nothing, listen. Boomer I um...you don't have to keep coming here with me," Boomer blinked in confusion.

"Huh? But you said..." Blossom shook her head.

"I know but...I know this isn't fun and...if you don't want to anymore...I won't make you. We'll just work at school," Boomer looked down at his completed homework paper. If he didn't come to study with Blossom he could play with his brothers.

"But...I like it when you teach me stuff," He said plainly. Blossom blinked in shock and a wary smile broke out on her face.

"R-Really...? You like coming here?" Boomer nodded, wearing his typical dopey smile.

"Yeah, it's kinda fun," Blossom smiled and her face turned red. Boomer blinked, wondering what he had said. The pink puff giggled and looked at him, speaking in a low, hopeful voice.

"So...you'll come back tomorrow?" Boomer looked up, trying to remember what tomorrow was. Friday?

"Uh...yeah! I'll be here," Blossom grinned and her cheeks turned a bit pinker. Without warning, she leaned forward and gave Boomer a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks Boomer...I'll see you tomorrow," Boomer sat in shock, watching Blossom quickly snatch her backpack and hurry out of the library.

And the next day...Boomer forgot...

* * *

Blossom looked around in awe, barely able to contain her excitement. She had traveled a lot, but somehow traveling in her new body made her feel so much more...alive. The restaurant was not at all fancy, nor was it particularly large. But, for a small local restaurant in Japan, it was a wonderland.

The Powerpuff girl turned to look at her companion, who sat across from her perusing the menu. She smiled and leaned forward on her hands, face heating up. The morning light coming in through the window was almost...romantic in the way it lit up the room. Gentle, comforting music drifted through the air and capped off the mood. Blossom sighed, drawing a confused look from Aku.

**"Is something wrong child? Do you know what you will be having?"** Blossom laughed sheepishly and picked up her menu, quickly hiding behind it.

"I'm fine...just...yawning," Aku frowned in confusion, returning to his menu. The child's face had seemed darker. Her voice had seemed almost wistful. Safely hidden behind her menu, Blossom observed the families seated around them. More importantly, she observed the couples and parents seated around them.

Her gaze drifted from couple to couple, her heart fluttering and her smile growing. Blossom peeked over her menu, once again studying her savior. His powerful body, fluffy red beard...his flaming eyebrows. She stifled another sigh and set her menu down. Blossom swallowed and bit her lip. Just what was it she felt for the demon...for the other god?

He had not only saved her life, he had told her the truth...had revealed just who she really was. He had offered her a home. He was now giving her a meal...anything she desired. Perhaps he was an evil, unrepentant demon, but was that the only difference between them? If she was a god...and he was more powerful than her...

Blossom looked up at him, just as he set down his menu. Aku's eyes widened, caught off guard by the sight of his admirer. The two stared at each other in silence, ignoring the waitress as she approached. Blossom dared to...hypothesize an answer to her dilemma.

'Is this...could it be...love?'


	21. Dea Sum Ego

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Impotent and powerless...until the day, the goddess opened her eyes. Now...there's no turning back.**

**Chapter 20**

* * *

Space—to some the final frontier—an endless abyss lit only by passing stars and planets, a monotonous dead zone interrupted only by brief moments of life. The universe was an endless collection of tiny sparkling orbs of fire, and an even greater number of creatures trying to leave their mark among those same stars. To some, space was the final frontier. But now, as the two entities drifted just outside the Earth's atmosphere, the endless darkness was like a blank canvas, waiting for a new beginning.

"Why are we here?" Blossom asked, her voice somehow defying all laws of physics, traveling through the void of space. Aku drifted around her; he flowed for miles, like a sheet of darkness. Blossom stared into his leering eyes, unable to resist the urge to smile. Aku smiled and gently brushed her hair back. He stretched his arm out, gesturing to the planet, cupping his hand as though he could hold it.

**"Look, child...take a moment to truly take in the...majesty of this world," **Perhaps it was the way he spoke, in a tone that seemed mystified and awed even in spite of his godhood, but Blossom turned and looked at the Earth. It was like seeing it for the first time.

**"Think of every living creature...every human that walks this world..."** He whispered, and Blossom did just that. As she imagined the billions of humans, every one going about their own way, every one living their own life, it seemed as though the Earth shined. As if the planet itself gave off an impossibly beautiful light.

"What...what is it?" She whispered. Aku narrowed his eyes, his smile growing as he, too, took in the brilliant light that only eyes such as theirs could perceive.

**"The greatest power in the universe...it is this power from which we draw our STRENGTH!" **Aku flexed his arms and grew several times his previous size. Blossom looked up at him in awe, her face growing darker, her heart pounding.

**"This power...it is why mortals exist...to impart it unto us,"** Aku floated down until his face was even with Blossom. She was barely a speck in his eye. The Powerpuff girl rubbed her chin, staring at the brilliant light. What was it exactly though? She wondered. Aku lifted his hand, lightly wrapping his fingers around Blossom. With a brief smile, she took a seat in the palm of his massive hand.

"Is that why we're here?" Aku closed his eyes and sighed sorrowfully. Briefly, he felt a sting in the pit of his chest, but he buried it with some effort.

**"It is a shame...that such power shall be forever lost soon,"** Blossom gasped and looked up, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

"What...what do you mean? Forever lost? You mean...the Earth is going to be..." Aku nodded, opening his eyes and staring directly into hers. His lips were drawn in a thin line, his fangs curling over his lips. His eyes remained unblinking, as he spoke in a soft, but powerful voice.

**"The Earth...shall be destroyed," **As Blossom began to protest, Aku continued, undeterred, **"Unless...we prevent this calamity,"** Blossom stood up, flying to Aku's eye level. She swallowed and steeled herself, fixing the demon with a determined stare.

"What do we do? I'll do anything!" Aku stared at her. Neither blinked for the longest time. Looking beyond the child, Aku could see the glittery glow of the planet Earth. Slowly, his lips pulled back into a grin.

**"Come then child...follow Aku to the source of this disaster...and he shall make all things clear to you,"** Aku waved his hand and a tear appeared suddenly in space, a swirling impossible fourth dimension behind the scar traced by his giant finger. Blossom looked briefly at the portal, then turned to Aku, whose smile had never faded. She smiled and nodded, entering the hole. Aku turned to the Earth briefly, before chuckling and following after her. The portal closed as the last of his titanic form passed through.

* * *

Light-years away from the planet Earth, a gate ripped open in the void of space. A great darkness fell over the unsuspecting solar system, accompanied by a tiny speck with bright red hair. Aku, still a titan of impossible proportions, held out his arms and spoke in a bellowing forte.

**"Behold, child! Here dwells the enemies of the planet Earth! The blight that shall eliminate our home shall come from any one of these wicked worlds,"** Blossom looked around in wide-eyed wonder. A belligerent planet she could understand, but an entire system? She crossed her arms and turned to Aku curiously.

"Are you...are you sure? All of them?" She whispered, again gazing out at the system. Seventeen planets, an uncountable number of moons, and a sun that dwarfed her own system's Sol. Could every planet really contain an enemy? Then again, she thought gloomily, it seemed as though they never met friendly aliens.

**"Yes...come, child,"** Blossom nodded and followed Aku as they shot through the solar system and landed on the planet nearest the sun. It was a barren desert planet, covered in craters and practically radiating an unbearable heat. Neither deity noticed as they descended.

"What are we going to do?" Blossom asked, observing the growing crowd of natives. They were humanoid lizard creatures...the smallest adult she could pinpoint had to be at least eight feet tall. All had massive, metallic claws...they should have been imposing to look at. The sun, close as it was, was practically drowned in the darkness of Aku's massive body, which filled the sky of the desert world.

**"The Drakian race, a militant species of nomadic desert creatures. Very powerful, but not at all bright," **Aku droned, his face expressionless. The creatures cowered and dropped to their knees, staring at the towering monstrosity that was Aku. When Blossom landed, many eyes fell on her, filled with the same awe-inspired terror. Aku folded his hands behind his back and stared down at them with stern fiery eyes. Blossom glanced at Aku and quickly adopted a more fierce pose: arms crossed and eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You...were you sent by the Chritchellites? We...we shall not join them!" The largest Drakian, a massive red-skinned creature, nearly fifteen feet in height, cried. He dwarfed the others, but even he wilted under Blossom's rosy-eyed glare.

**"Are you the leader of this planet?"** Aku asked in a bored tone; a bored tone, but one with an unmistakable menace—Blossom had to silently commend his professionalism. The red Drakian nodded and walked forward, flinching as he turned his eyes down to the small child still glaring at him.

"Y-Yes, I am Dodongo, King of Serpenterra...who are you?" Aku smirked and held out his arms, now fully blocking out the sun. The only light for miles was the flames of his eyebrows.

**"I am the Deliverer of Darkness! The Master of Masters! The Shogun of Sorrow! I am Aku..." **Dodongo took a step back, massive jaws trembling. He again turned his gaze down on the child.

"Aku...and this...small creature," The entire Drakian race had, by that time, gathered around the two newcomers. They all took a step back as Aku folded his arms behind his back once more, and the child bristled at the tone of King Dodongo's voice.

**"This child is the messiah of Aku, a creature of unimaginable power. Do not be fooled by ****her...DIMINUTIVE stature, she holds more power than the very sun now hiding behind Aku," **Blossom crossed her arms tighter, struggling to hide the growing heat in her cheeks, struggling to ignore the way her chest fluttered, struggling to keep from giggling excitedly. It had been a better introduction than she could have thought up on the fly.

King Dodongo swallowed, clutching his jagged saber tighter. Aku noticed and smirked. Blossom noticed, and reacted with far less subtlety. The king howled as his entire hand was blasted off by twin beams of concussive heat from the small child's eyes. The force hit him with such power that he fell back into the sand. The Drakian crowd all readied their weapons, hissing of various pitches filling the hot air.

**"HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! Foolish Drakians! Do you truly believe your pitiful weapons can harm Aku or his messiah? Throw down your weapons and listen to Aku! Or else..."** Aku shrugged, gesturing to the child, now crackling with pink lightning. The sand swirled at her feet, the wind seemed incapable of touching her. Though they outnumbered the newcomers, the Drakians watched their leader kneel down in front of the child, and quickly followed suit, throwing their weapons to the desert floor. Aku grinned.

**"Very good...this day is a MOMENTOUS occasion for you, planet Serpenterra. It is on this day that Aku is offering you a chance to join him," **Aku held out his arms, his voice rising with an excited fervor, booming across the desert world. Blossom noticed that he seemed to be growing even larger, **"Offer your world and all its resources to Aku and you shall be spared! Refuse, and this world...shall perish,"** King Dodongo looked up, growling and clutching the bloody stump that was once his left hand.

"You seek to dominate the Drakians? You are no better than the Chritchellites! We will not surrender to anyone!" Aku grinned, hunching down to look King Dodongo in the eye. The massive Drakian was like a mole on the demon's nose.

**"These Chritchellites you speak of...they are but mere mortal creatures. I am Aku and Aku is God. Worship and serve Aku, or face utter annihilation. This is the fate of all creatures, even the Chritchellites," **The King lowered his head, unable to stand the demon's stare. Aku rose back up, laughing and staring up at the sky. In the distance, he could see the Chritchellites' home world. A cry rang up from the crowd and a Drakian ran forward, much to the protest of his comrades. His blade collided with Blossom's shoulder, drawing the Powerpuff girl's attention away from her titanic mentor. Aku looked down, frowning.

**"How unfortunate for you...perhaps, child, these creatures need proof of Aku's might," **Blossom narrowed her eyes. Her mind rang with a single phrase, repeated over and over again. With only a moment's hesitation, she lifted her mitt and released her Starburst beam, completely unhindered in her new form. The ray of pink light, a wall of sheer destruction, blanketed half the Drakian crowd. Screams of agony and pain filled the air, blood littered the desert sand, what sand was not blown away by the force of the attack. When the child dropped her hand, over half of the entire Drakian race had been obliterated in a single blow.

"No!" The King shouted, staring in horror at the blood-soaked desert. He trembled as he turned his gaze back to the child, who now fixed her glare on him.

"Will there be any more objections?" She whispered, just loud enough for the king to hear. King Dodongo lowered his head and, trembling, he lowered himself to the ground.

"No...we will...we will serve Aku. Please...spare us," He whispered, his voice cracking. Blossom smiled and looked up at Aku, who spared her a moment of pride before turning back to the surviving Drakians.

**"Very good...your world shall be spared. Once, every month, you shall erect a statue in the likeness of Aku, proclaiming to the universe who it is that is your master! Everything you do, you do now in the name of Aku. Every drop of blood you spill, is spilled for Aku. Every meal you eat, shall be eaten with thanks given to Aku. Every morning you awaken, you awaken by the grace of ****Aku. You belong now and forever to...Aku," **The Drakians murmured various praises and thanks, as Aku and Blossom began to ascend to the heavens once more. Blossom quickly flew up to Aku's face, rubbing her head.

"Did I do alright? I should have said more, they probably think I'm stupid, I'm so sorry! What should I do next time? Why are you laughing at me?!" Blossom's arms fell to her sides and a watery frown spread across her face as Aku continued chuckling. Now in the safety of outer space and floating further and further from the sun, a tendril stretched out from Aku's shoulder and comfortingly smoothed Blossom's hair.

**"Fear not child...these are learning experiences for you. You have done a great job, delivering a planet to Aku. There is still MUCH for Aku to teach you, come we now venture to the furthest planet from the sun," **Blossom nodded and looked up, eying the frozen, dark planet they were now approaching. They hovered over it, Aku's massive form—he seemed to be getting bigger every time she looked away—blocked out any light from the sun that may possibly have reached the wasteland planet.

"What do we do this time? The same thing?" Aku shook his head, stroking his beard.

**"This world has yet to be taken by the Chritchellite Empire...ask yourself, child. Why is this?" **Blossom tapped her chin, staring down at the planet. There seemed to be absolutely no sign of life. Could that be the reason? She turned to Aku, swallowing nervously when she saw how he stared at her. Blossom blushed and crossed her arms, looking at the planet again. Aku saw the smile on her lips and he, too, grinned.

**"Go to this world, child. Aku shall join you shortly,"** Blossom glanced at him, but nodded and slowly descended into the raging snow storm that wracked the planet relentlessly. Her hair blew haphazardly, but she managed to keep her eyes open in the bitter, cutting wind. Blossom touched down on the snowy surface and gasped when the planet began to shake and tremble. A horrible scream rang out over the wind. Blossom jumped and took a step back, looking around frantically for the source of the scream. It rang out again, more shrill than every. She trembled, and looked up at the sky. Aku was nowhere to be seen.

"Aku? What is that?! Aku!" Pink eyes searched the sky with growing terror. The scream rang out again and the wind began to part. Blossom gasped and looked up, finding the source of the storm itself. A massive...bird? Bigger than any she had ever seen before. Its wings filled the pitch black sky, glittering icy blue when hit by the scant light that managed to reach the distant world. The bird's frigid eyes seemed to pierce Blossom's soul, there was a definite sense of intellect in this creature.

"What...are you?" She whispered, floating off the ground. She reached the bird's level, staring at it with scientific observation. The bird screamed, emitting a shockwave that nearly dropped Blossom from the sky. She growled and rubbed her ears, glaring at the bird. Her pink eyes began to glow in the darkness. Now, it was the bird who shuddered uncomfortably.

"You! You understand me?" Blossom called, with all previous inhibitions gone her voice was now a force all its own. The bird narrowed its eyes, nodding its head. Blossom stuck her mitt out, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

"I thought so...my name is Blossom. I am the Herald of Aku; surrender to him, to me, or I'll be forced to destroy you!" The bird bristled and cried again. The storm grew more intense, and a beam of glistening frozen wind shot at Blossom. Taking a small breath, she exhaled a wall of fire that obliterated the ice beam.

"If that's your decision," She muttered dangerously. The bird screeched and lunged at her. Blossom managed to duck away from the attack, but was blown back by the gales of wind peeling off the ice bird. She watched it whip back around and charge at her again, the cutting wind now directed directly at the tiny goddess. Blossom steeled herself, pulling back a fist. The bird wasn't just large, it was fast. Her next observation was to find out just how strong it was.

Moments before she would have swung, the bird sped up, ramming into her with the force of a freight train. Blossom landed in the snow, coughing and rubbing her stomach. She scanned the skies, finding the bird again and fixing it with a deathly glare. It was fast alright, but not near strong enough. Blossom shot from the snow, barreling directly into the storm. The bird screamed and tried to fire another beam of ice at her. Blossom plunged into the attack and slammed into the bird, punching it to the ground below. Unfazed by the cold, she dropped down, blowing a sheet of fire at the frozen monster.

The monster dodged the fire breath and swung its wings. The blizzard rammed into the Powerpuff girl with immense force, blowing her back a few feet when she landed on the planet's surface. The two met each other's gaze, like statues in the winter weather. The puff's eyes were glowing...her skin seemed to be glowing in the pitch darkness. The bird trembled and closed its beak. The storm around them began to die down. No more than three minutes into the fight, the creature realized it had no hope of victory. It lowered its head as the storm faded into nothingness. Blossom crossed her arms and tried to appear stern. She couldn't fight the smile breaking her facade.

"You...you surrender?" The bird nodded, crying again. Its voice, no longer strained by combat, was beautiful to behold. Blossom floated over to the bird, which lowered its head further. Blossom smiled and gently patted its feathers; the bird was as frigid as the planet...it was nice and soft.

"You'll serve Aku then?" She asked in a whisper. The bird nodded, lifting its head. Together they watched the darkness descend on the frozen world. Aku laughed heartily, his voice echoing across the entire planet. Mountains cracked and collapsed, and frozen seas caved in, becoming craters.

**"You have done well, child! This creature is an ancient spirit, a very powerful foe indeed! And in such a short time...you have shown it your superiority. Aku is most pleased,"** Blossom blushed and grinned, flying up to Aku. The bird watched her go and nodded. Aku waved his hand and the bird dissolved into powdery snow, the storm whipped up around it as the pair ascended from the planet. Blossom sat on Aku's giant shoulder as they peered out over the solar system.

"That was a spirit? What do you mean? Why...why did you want me to fight it?" Aku smiled as they began to cross the system at a sedate pace. The Chritchellite home world was in his sights.

**"The spirit is now bound to serve you, and in serving you it is bound to serve Aku. A powerful creature such as this will be MOST BENEFICIAL to Aku's plans..."** Blossom frowned, rubbing the side of her head.

"You mean...saving the world...right?" Aku stopped, blocking out the light around their next target. He closed his eyes and sighed. A painful sting wracked his gargantuan form, but he forced it down again.

**"Child...we shall discuss this later. Go now, deliver the Chritchellites to Aku. If they resist...destroy them,"** Blossom swallowed and stood up, covering her mouth. She turned to Aku and sighed, dropping her arms to her sides.

"Aku...is this...the right thing to do? We're taking over...but..." Aku lifted one of his massive hands, cutting her off.

**"Child...you are letting your programming control you. You, child, are a god. Aku, he is also a god. Are we to be bound by mortal ideals?"** Blossom lowered her head, sighing.

"But..." Aku kept his eyes forward, speaking in a dry, factual tone.

**"Do you not trust Aku?" **Blossom gasped and stared at him in shock. How could he even suggest that? She had come to him, and only him, when her life was in danger. She had followed him, she had listened to him...of course she believed him.

"Of course...of course I trust you!" Aku folded his arms, keeping his eyes forward. Blossom leaned against his head, sighing, "I'm sorry...I believe you. I'll make them believe in you too!" Aku smiled and watched Blossom descend. He grit his teeth and clutched his chest. This child...she was both a blessing and a curse.

The Chritchellite home world was a technological utopia. The capital city was made up of a thousand chrome buildings, rising up into the sky for miles. Everything was made of the same silvery-blue metal, completely with flying cars, hover-scooters, everything that could be found in a science fiction novel. Blossom felt almost ancient as she landed in the center of the city square, staring at the dull statue of Emperor Erypidus, the first Chritchellite lord. She looked around, frowning when she realized that the statue was a complete joke. The Chritchellites were only a bit taller than she was. They had blue skin and were very scrawny looking.

"Hey! Hey, hey! What do you think you're doing? Where'd you come from?" Two guards, dressed in white uniforms with yellow visors, approached her with electrical tridents. Blossom raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips, glaring at them.

"My name is Blossom, I am the Herald of Aku. Where is your leader?" The Chritchellites looked at each other and shared a laugh, they approached the child, one pointing his trident in her face.

"Herald of what? No one sees the Emperor! Especially not some freaky little bug-eyed alien!" Blossom narrowed her eyes and grabbed his trident jerking it away from him. The guard gasped and took a step back, while the other prepared to strike.

"You little brat! Give that back!" Blossom threw the trident down and began to advance on the now retreating guards.

"I won't ask again...where is your leader?" The guards traded a look at laughed nervously. One hurried away while the other stayed behind, hiding behind his trident.

"Uh...okay, we'll get the leader...just settle down, freak!" The Chritchellite puffed his chest up and stood up straight, glaring at her. The condescending leer met Blossom's unamused glare, the former faltering. Sirens began to go off as the streets filled with more guards, all armed with sparking tridents. The original guard smirked and leveled his spear with Blossom's face. Even as more and more of the city's defenses reared their heads—plasma cannons, laser rifles, turrets, even robotic sentries—the little girl stayed unfazed. Trumpets sounded and the crowd parted. A Chritchellite, dressed in gold rather than white, walked through the crowd and glared at Blossom. He crossed his arms. More and more guards filled the streets.

"Alright, alright! What's all this commotion about? Who is this freak?" Blossom rolled her eyes and glanced to the sky. In the depths of space, her companion was waiting patiently. This was a test...she was good at taking tests. She smirked and shook her head, sneering at the Emperor.

"My name is Blossom, I was sent here to deliver an ultimatum from your new God," The blue aliens stared at her incredulously. The Emperor's lips twitched and soon, he broke into snickers. The laughter spread, until soon the entire crowd was laughing. She could pick out various insults from the crowd—most all insulting her intelligence, she noted with growing fury.

"New god? Yeah, whatever you say, we don't have a god and don't need a new one! Don't you know freak? Gods are just a figment of your imagination! It's poison for your brain!" The Emperor explained, tapping his head and closing the distance between the two of them. Blossom looked down, closing her eyes.

"You don't believe there are such things as gods?" She asked, slowly opening her eyes. She kept her gaze fixed on the chrome plated street. The crowd began to laugh again. Some civilians had joined the royal guard, also joining in mocking the newcomer.

"Of course not! We've done tests, freak. Really complicated scientific tests! We know they don't exist! If you ask those idiot creatures on Chritchellite 4 and Chritchellite 5, they'll tell you that we're gods!" Blossom smirked and shook her head. Just outside the planet's atmosphere, Aku grin—a dark, sinister expression. He approved, he approved greatly.

"So you're saying...that I don't exist?" She asked, looking the Emperor right in the eye. He smirked and crossed his arms.

"You think you're a god? Why don't you prove it then?" Blossom closed her eyes and smirked. She slowly raised her fist, holding it over her head with her eyes still closed. The Chritchellites readied their weapons. The Emperor jumped back, hiding behind his guards.

"I'll give you a choice...you can be smart like the Drakians and choose to serve Aku, the greatest of all the gods or...I will destroy your entire planet with one touch," She opened her eyes and stared at the Chritchellite Emperor, her eyes narrowed. She knew what his answer was going to be...she couldn't deny just how...excited she was.

"What are you on? Comparing us to the Drakians? We aren't idiots like those reptiles!" Blossom giggled and clenched her fist. All of her awesome power, completely in her control. It was a thrill she hadn't experienced since birth. It was a forbidden pleasure she had been denied...just how powerful was she now?

"Fine, here's your proof that I'm a god," Blossom threw her fist down with all her strength. Her mitt had become harder than any alloy, more powerful than any celestial force. The moment it collided with the chrome street, the entire planet trembled. The ground split, imploded, and a shockwave of titanic magnitude surged through the center of Chritchellite Prime. The blue aliens screamed as fire began to erupt from the ground, as the entire planet began to shake uncontrollably. In mere seconds, the shockwave exploded through the other end of the planet.

Half of the planet shifted downward, falling several miles instantly. Blossom floated away from the surface and stared in awe, grinning wildly. It happened so fast, there was no chance any of the Chritchellites could survive. Mere moments after the punch, the planet erupted in pillars of fire, and unrelenting storms. The blue creatures screamed and tried to make their escape, but were quickly incinerated by the rising fire walls. Blossom gasped, just as the core completely erupted in a massive explosion.

Blossom breathed heavily, observing the destruction around her. The debris was endless, of every shape and size. Bits and pieces of metal were floating through space, but aside from herself, there was no sight of a single living creature. She squealed as the immense darkness fell over her and a smiling face greeted her.

**"You have learned very well, child..." **He whispered as she landed in the palm of his hand. Blossom looked up at him with a grin.

"Well...learning is my strong point," They both chuckled, turning to face the remaining planets. The rest of the Chritchellite Empire.

* * *

The city of Townsville had gone to bed very late. Save for those men and women who were hard at work putting the city back together, the citizens were fast asleep. At the home of the Powerpuff Girls, Cassandra Keane was still awake, sitting on the couch in a daze. The day had been hectic...moreso than any other she could image. At least, the most hectic since the girls had been born. She shuddered, trying to forget how the city had been before James Utonium saved them all.

"James..." She whispered. He had been gone for so long now. Just how was he doing? Was he safe? The last time they spoke, earlier the previous night, he had mentioned that there was a mountain he was supposed to climb. Ms. Keane sighed...he could be hurt, and there would be no way for anyone to help him.

The night had been stressful. Once the discussion had turned to Blossom, it seemed any happiness that had come from defeating Mojo evaporated. Where was she? Ms. Keane held her head, trying to hold back tears. She needed to be the adult, she needed to be strong, even if she was worried. But her maternal instinct was killing her. Blossom was somewhere, alone, and she had been hurting. All of the kids had noticed that, though none of them said it before tonight. Ms. Keane had noticed as well. Blossom was in pain; she tried to hide it, but...

"I should have talked to her..." She whispered. Why hadn't she? Ms. Keane bit her lip, fresh tears leaking through her defenses, trickling down her cheeks. She had been afraid. Ms. Keane held her face in her hand and sobbed silently. She had been afraid of her best student, of a little girl who had looked up to her like a mother. She had...ultimately let her down.

"Hm? Who...who could that be?" She looked at the clock and shook her head. Who could possibly be knocking on the door this early in the morning? Ms. Keane wiped her eyes and sniffled, slowly peaking through the peep hole.

"Hello?"

"Cassie...it's me," Ms. Keane's heart stopped. She threw the door open and nearly tackled the man on the other side. Professor Utonium dropped his luggage and held her close, taking in a deep breath and slowly letting it out. She wrapped her arms as tightly as she could, burying her face in his shoulder. The Professor swallowed and smiled giving her a reassuring squeeze.

"James...James you're finally home..." James Utonium nodded and pulled away from her.

"Yes...yes, and I have the answer. We can beat this Cassie, we can-" He was cut off, abruptly, when she closed the distance between them, pressing her lips fiercely against his. Lit only by the pale street lamps lining the street, the two held each other, locked in a desperate, heartfelt kiss. Valentino scurried down the stairs and watched them curiously. The Professor flinched, but couldn't deny how comforting it felt when the cat purred and rubbed against his leg.

It was good to be home.

* * *

Blossom and Aku floated over what remained of the solar system. Five of the seventeen planets had surrendered to Aku. They had been spared, moved through space with by Aku's massive, powerful hands, transferred to another galaxy through various portals. What remained was a sea of debris, the remaining planets had all be destroyed by Blossom, who now sat in the palm of Aku's hand, staring into the massive white sun.

"Did I do a good job?" She asked. Aku nodded, smiling and stroking his beard.

**"You did a very good job, child. You have made Aku very proud..."** Aku sighed and lowered his hand. Blossom sighed and laid back on her hands. She turned up to look at Aku, blushing.

"What do we do now?"

**"That depends on you, child..."** Blossom frowned and lowered her head, pulling her knees up to her chest. That accusatory tone to his voice...the way he refused to look at her. He was questioning her faith again...wasn't he? She looked at the fiery star, only vaguely realizing there were tears leaking down her face.

"I...I want to...to be like you. I want to be free, I want to...to be with you,"

**"Do you believe in Aku?"**

"Yes! Of course I do! I wouldn't...I wouldn't do all this if I didn't!" Blossom sniffled and wiped her eyes. He had saved her life, he had freed her. Why wouldn't she believe in him? Why wouldn't she want to do...to do anything and everything for him?

**"You will do anything for him?"**

"Yes! I will!" Blossom, on her hands and knees, tried to look into his eyes. He still refused to look at her. She narrowed her eyes, gritting her teeth. She wanted to be angry. She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to hit him over and over again until he stopped judging her. But...he was the only one who wasn't judging her...wasn't he? He didn't judge her...he saved her. She owed him her faith...her...she owed him her love, right?

**"You wish to be with Aku? You wish to be a god, like Aku?"** His tone had become more gentle, more caring. He brought her up to his face, looking her in the eyes. Blossom smiled and blushed, lowering her head. Aku rubbed his chest, smiling at the child. She was right...he had no reason to question her.

"I do..." She whispered, lightly stroking his beard. The heat in her cheeks, the way her heart beat, the way her pulse raced when he simply looked at her. The Shogun of Sorrow had no right or reason to question the Red Child. She belonged to him.


	22. Welcome Home

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Time to regroup, there's something big on the horizon. Warning this chapter contains adult material right from the get go. If you don't want to see it, skip to the scene break when Valentino leaves.**

**Chapter 21**

* * *

"James...James...I'm sorry, I just...I just can't stop crying...James it's so good to see you again..." Ms. Keane refused to detach her grip on the scientist, even when as the chilly morning air buffeted them. For his part, the Professor was in no hurry to break their embrace either, but as they stood in the doorway, jet lag began to rear its ugly head. He stifled a yawn and drew Ms. Keane inside, just enough to pull his luggage in and close the door. Valentino sat beside them, watching intently.

"Shh...Cassie it's alright...I missed you too," Professor Utonium looked down at his luggage and noticed Valentino. He chuckled and swallowed a nervous lump, trying to gently shoo the cat away. Valentino laid down, watching with almost mischievous amusement. Professor Utonium sighed and shook his head, patting Ms. Keane's back.

"Cassandra...can we get my luggage upstairs?" Ms. Keane sniffled and helped him with his bags, tiptoeing as silently as she could manage.

"Please don't wake them...they had a very frantic day," Ms. Keane whispered. The Professor chuckled, quickly lowering his voice as they reached the second floor.

"I noticed...they're alright aren't they?" Ms. Keane froze in the doorway to the Professor's bedroom, trembling. She shook her head, going in and setting down his bags. The Professor set his suitcase down and watched her walk to the door, arms crossed and shoulders shaking.

"Cassie? What's wrong?" He asked, walking to her and resting a hand on her shoulder. The kindergarten teacher shook her head and sighed.

"James...I did my best...I swear I did..." Professor Utonium smiled and turned her around to face him, gently holding her shoulders.

"I know Cassandra...what's wrong? I know you've always done right by me and by my girls," Ms. Keane sniffled and shook her head. Valentino pranced up the stairs and sat outside the half shut door, staring at it curiously. He sat back on his haunches, his tail twitching back and forth.

"James, I'm sorry but...Blossom...she ran away from home. James I'm so sorry!" The Professor gasped, stiffly staring at his childhood friend. Blossom had left home again? Why? Where had she gone? How long had she been gone? He closed his eyes and pulled her close, despite her protests, and held her tightly.

"It's alright...she's a smart girl...she'll...she'll be fine, please don't cry," He was doing his best to hold back his own panic, struggling to keep his mind from turning in all the worst directions. Blossom was a smart girl. She was a responsible girl. She was a strong girl. She would be fine...

"I should have been more...more understanding! I should have talked to her more!" The Professor shuddered and swallowed the lump in his throat. His eyes were watering, his chest was heaving. The panic attack was growing with every second. Where was his daughter? Was she safe? Did she need him?

Was it his fault?

"James...you've been...you had a long flight I'll...I'll tell you in the morning," She started to pull away, but he quickly caught her arms. Ms. Keane looked up at Professor Utonium, her cheeks flushed, stained by tears. He looked the same, though he was trying to hide it. She licked her lips, and looked away.

"Wh...what is it?" She asked, gasping as he stiffly embraced her.

"Stay...stay with me," He whispered. He felt her face grow hot against his chest. He was practically steaming himself. Ms. Keane looked up at him. On the other end of the bedroom door, Valentino jumped and glared in annoyance as the door clicked shut. With a sigh, he sauntered off, to go climb in bed with Bubbles and Buttercup.

"James are you sure," Ms. Keane moaned, her mouth smothered beneath his. Was it weeks of building tension? Was it months? Maybe, somewhere deep inside, it was years of suppressed tension. Tension from Jr. high, from high school, even from the class reunions. Wherever it came from, it was so powerful, she quickly forgot her worries. Cassandra Keane wrapped her arms around James Utonium's neck, deepening the already frantic kiss.

Lips smacked, tongues touched, hands roamed, the two stumbled back blindly, the taller feeling around for his bed, grunting in satisfaction when he found it, then groaning in annoyance when he tripped over his own bags and pulled them both down on the bed.

"Oof!" the Professor cried, sitting up.

"What's wrong?" Ms. Keane gasped out, flushed. The Professor threw the bag across the room and chuckled nervously.

"Sorry, forgot I put that there so um..." He trailed off when she pressed against him again, pushing him down onto the bed. She worked dumbly trying to unbutton his shirt, grunting from exertion, while trying to keep her lips as close to his as possible. The Professor unbuttoned his pants, shimmying and trying to discard them as subtly as possible. Ms. Keane giggled as he bounced against the bed, chuckling nervously.

She finally undid the last button and fell against him once more, hands now roaming his chest. She gasped, pausing in her exploration of his body, fingers tracing deep scars. He shivered beneath her finger tips, sucking in air and clenching his teeth.

"James...what...what happened to you?" She whispered. He shook his head and sat up. The scientist slid his hands up her thighs, beneath her night gown and gently caressed her sides, planting soft, hot kisses on her neck. Ms. Keane moaned and fell against him, still curious.

"Jimmy...answer me...what happened?" He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. He lightly ran his fingers down her back, trailing across her backside.

"It's nothing...just...you know how fathers can be reckless when their daughters are in danger," Ms. Keane found his eyes in the darkness and stared at him, an awed smile on her lips.

"James you are amazing..." She made a note to ask him for the full story later. For now, she giggled and blushed, watching the scientist's eyes bulge when she slid out of her nightgown. He cleared his throat and chuckled bashfully.

"I...I have to warn you...it's...been a while," Now it was her turn to shift nervously, crossing her arms over her chest and turning away from him.

"...Yes...yes it's been...a w-while for me as well...um...so we'll just," The Professor nodded, rubbing the back of his head.

"This will be a um...a refresher course! Yes uh..." he laughed sheepishly and turned back to her. She was beautiful, barely visible, but he could still see her, outlined by the moonlight coming in through the window. Her skin was pale, soft, smooth...the Professor began to find his courage, taking in all of his friend...his high school crush...his first girlfriend...

"Cassandra...I'm sorry how things worked out before," He whispered, trailing kisses from her lips, down her cheek, across her shoulders. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him closer and closer. For a moment, he hesitated, still unsure of himself. As his lips drew closer to her chest, he slowed down, until he stopped altogether. She panted and looked down at him.

"What's wrong? James, what's wrong?" She whispered, turning his face up to hers. He swallowed and cleared his throat.

"I um...I'm not exactly...well..." She smiled and blushed. He was so cute...so honest and gentle. She dipped down and kissed him heavily, slipping her tongue against his and playfully biting his lip as she pulled away.

"Neither am I...let's just...play it by ear?" She whispered. The Professor nodded and took the hint as she pulled him to her breast. He planted soft, slow kisses along her breast, lightly kissing her stiff nipples. Ms. Keane gasped and pulled him closer, nodded and moaning.

"Yes...oh James...that's wonderful..." She arched her back and held him closer as he sucked on her nipple, a hand lightly brushing across her other breast. She ran her fingers through his hair, rubbing his scalp and nodded, gritting her teeth with every sensual surge rushing through her body. She sighed and quickly sucked in a new breath when he switched sides, his teeth just barely brushing against her. Ms. Keane pulled his head up, and kissed him fiercely. Now, the Professor matched her ferocity, pulling her down, pressing her into his pillows as their mouths met again and again, a reckless abandon they hadn't felt in so many years washing over them.

"Cassie...do you...do you have a um...would you rather be...on top or..." He whispered, running his hand down her thigh. Ms. Keane bit her lip and shook her head, giggling and pulling him into another kiss.

"I've...I've only ever been...on bottom...it's fine..." She replied, her voice cracking. She smiled and sat up on her elbows, walking her fingers up his chest to his cheek. She pulled him closer and whispered in a husky voice.

"I'm ready when you are...Professor," He shuddered and tore off his boxers, once again pinning her to the bed in passionate embrace. She moaned and continued to trace his new scars, pondering which ones were new and which were old. She could only imagine him, at his strongest...all of those scars bleeding and stinging. Ms. Keane bit her lip and pulled him into a very soft, very slow kiss, halting the frenzied pace the two had been coming to.

"What is it?" He whispered, staring into her big blue eyes. She stared back into his dark eyes and slowly shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks. He hadn't changed at all since high school—she realized with a watery giggle—he was not the strongest man alive, but when something mattered to him...when he truly loved someone, there was nothing he wouldn't do.

"You're amazing James..." She whispered. He shook his head, laughing softly.

"Cassie..." She shushed him and gave him another kiss that seemed to last forever, that seemed to slow time itself.

"I want you James..." He nodded, and held her hips, trying to guide his way to her. Ms. Keane giggled and shook her head, holding her legs back and smiling at him.

"Higher James...that's not the um...one you're looking for..." The Professor blushed and adjusted his aim, refusing to look at her. Ms. Keane giggled and gently guided him in the right direction. She bit her lip and nodded. The Professor panted and slid a bit deeper, holding her hips tighter. It had been a very, very long time. Not since Ima...it all began to come back to him. He thrust deeper and deeper, encouraged by her moans and gasps.

"Yes...mm...d-deeper...yes...God, James...oh..." The room was musky and hot, a perfect counterpoint to the cold air outside. The gentle rhythm began to grow faster and heavier, joined by the rising moans of the two participants. Ms. Keane gripped the sheets and shut her eyes, gasping in air with stifled gasps. The Professor stared at her, watching her firm chest rise and fall, watching in awe as the sweat trickled down her body. Every gyration, every squeal, every tremble, he drew it all in with a growing smile. He had missed her...

"James...I...I think...I...." She shook her head and bit the pillow as he pumped faster and faster, grinding harder and harder against her. The Professor grit his teeth, and gave a strangled gasp for air. The pressure was rising, every thrust bringing him closer and closer. Ms. Keane began to pump in time with him and both moaned louder. The bed squeaked slightly, but waking the girls was the furthest thing from their minds. The Professor groaned, and ground his teeth, as the feeling overtook him.

Lying on the mountain with freezing wind buffeting his body, he had found an amazing power. The power that had begun to flow through him, the power that gave him the strength to fight back the icy grip of death...it was nothing compared to the feeling now rushing through him. Every inch of his body felt like it was on fire, every ounce of his energy poured into the woman lying beneath him. As she moaned louder and louder and clenched his sheets tighter, he came harder.

He snapped from his thoughts, regained himself as she groaned and dug her fingers into the sheets. She grabbed him and pulled him against her, kissing him with an animalistic ferocity. Animalistic, or just lonely? Either way, the way Cassandra Keane was now grinding against him, now kissing him, it was all James Utonium needed to fill in the one piece of his soul that had been barren and empty for so long. It wasn't until she shivered and spoke, just above a whisper, that he realized he was crying.

"James...I love you..." He looked into her eyes and, for just one moment, everything was right.

"I love you too, Cassandra..."

* * *

_The city of Townsville was a sea of flames; maniacal laughter rang out in every direction. Buttercup choked down a gasp of air, falling to her knees and coughing up ash. She rubbed her watering eyes and looked around. Bubbles lay beside her, unmoving. Buttercup clenched her eyes shut and shook her head. Heavy metal footsteps inched closer, causing the entire city to tremble. Buttercup lifted her head and stared into the pitch black depths of the giant robot's cockpit. Her heart skipped a beat when the robot melted into a sheet of darkness. Buttercup's mouth fell open; deep within the darkness, she could see a pink streak approaching. She thrust out her hand._

"Blossom!" Buttercup gasped, her eyes snapping open. She uselessly held her hand out to the ceiling of her bedroom. She felt something furry shift next to her, and a loud purr joined her sister's soft breathing as the only sounds in the room. Buttercup looked around and spotted Valentino curled up at Bubbles' feet. He stared up at her, his eyes glistening in the dark.

"Hey Val...sorry about that," Buttercup muttered as she sat up, scratching her mussed up hair. Valentino trotted up to her and hopped into her lap, nuzzling her affectionately. Any other day, she'd have appreciated the gesture, but at the moment she felt to confused to really enjoy it. Nonetheless, she smiled as his furry head rubbed against her cheek. Buttercup turned to look at Bubbles; the blonde puff was on her stomach, drooling and very much asleep. Buttercup rolled her eyes and turned to her other side, frowning and quickly looking back at Valentino.

"She still hasn't come back...huh?" The cat looked up at her, then looked away as if he understood what she had said. Buttercup sighed and petted him absentmindedly. Her gaze drifted to the clock, it was a little after noon. She and Bubbles had spent most of the night up tossing and turning, finally drifting off only after Bubbles burst into tears and cried for quite possibly the longest time Buttercup could ever remember.

'What do we do now?' She thought, looking toward the window. In the distance, Townsville was starting to come around, but she had a feeling that this time recovery was going to take longer than ever. Buttercup stopped and listened closely. She could hear the coffee pot steaming downstairs and, she now noticed, the smell wafting up the stairs. Buttercup frowned and listened closer. There were voices downstairs. She gasped and turned to Bubbles, so quickly she knocked Valentino over. The cat glared at her and hopped off the bed, trotting out of the room.

"Bubbles! Bubbles wake up! Bubbles!" The blue puff moaned and slowly pushed herself up, looking around dizzily. She spotted Buttercup's excited expression and rubbed her eyes.

"What is it? What happened?" Buttercup grabbed her arm and dragged her out of bed, flying out the door. Bubbles groaned and tugged back just as they were halfway down the stairs.

"Buttercup! What's the big idea?" She asked, glaring sleepily. Buttercup started to respond, but then they both heard a man's voice from the kitchen.

"Oh no, he was a friendly fellow...I don't think I'd have made it without his help! He was just so...rough," Bubbles gasped and stared at Buttercup, who was once more grinning so wide that it had to be uncomfortable. With matching screams, the two flew down at top speed, throwing themselves into the arms of their target, who managed to catch them at the last second.

"Professor! Professor!" They screamed, hugging him desperately, even Buttercup crying silent, unashamed. The Professor hugged them back tightly, tears leaking down his cheeks.

"Bubbles! Buttercup...oh I missed you so much," Bubbles threw her arms around his neck and gave him an especially wet kiss, burying her face in his shoulder afterward. Ms. Keane sat in her seat, watching with a small smile, lightly dabbing her eyes with a napkin.

"We missed you too! You're back! Professor don't ever leave again!" Bubbles sobbed. Buttercup was silent, merely burying her face in his chest and clutching his shirt tightly. The Professor gave them both a kiss and squeezed them with all his strength.

"Don't worry, don't worry I'm home now. I'm not going anywhere...shh, it's alright. Everything is going to be alright," The family of four sat there for a long time, merely drawing comfort from each others presence. When at long last the girls pulled away from their father, the joy began to evaporate.

"Professor...Professor I'm sorry...I'm so sorry," Buttercup whispered, holding her head and staring at the table, watching the steam rise from the Professor's coffee. The Professor shot a look at Ms. Keane, who lowered her head and bit her lip.

"Why don't...we start from the beginning girls. I'll tell you my story, then you tell me yours...alright? A lot has happened, I think we need to regroup for a moment," The girls nodded and settled onto his lap. The Professor smiled at them and popped his pipe into his mouth, lighting it and taking a few puffs before beginning.

As he told the story, the girls listened intensely, not interrupting until he reached the part where he met the monks. Bubbles slowly raised her hand, making the Professor chuckle.

"Yes, Bubbles?" He asked.

"Who were they?" The Professor shook his head and took another puff of his pipe.

"That will...I'll explain that bit a little later," Bubbles nodded and the Professor continued. He got to the part where he'd left off before, telling Ms. Keane about the Scottish lodge owner who had loaned him his sword. Buttercup snickered and Bubbles giggled.

"What's so funny?" He asked, giving them both a wry smirk. Buttercup snickered and grinned up at him.

"You trying to use a sword," The Professor chuckled and nodded, giving Ms. Keane a wink.

"Yes...it was certainly out of my element..." They fell silent again as he described his trek up the mountain. Bubbles gasped, unknowingly matching Ms. Keane's expression, when the Professor told them about his fight with the goat monster. Ms. Keane closed her eyes and shook her head, hearing how he was thrown from the mountain.

"J-Professor...oh my word, Professor, are you alright? How...how did you get passed it?" The Professor took a deep breath and took his pipe from his mouth.

"I was lying in the snow...I couldn't move, and I was slowly freezing. Everything hurt, I'm sure you girls can imagine," The girls nodded, staring up at him in awe, "Then I heard a voice...the monks, they were speaking to me. And...as I started to lose, I thought about you girls. I remembered that you were counting on me, and it...gave me a strength I never knew I had,"

The girls smiled and blushed. Buttercup seemed especially interested as he described his second battle with the goat, both girls cheering when he told them how he defeated it. Then came the most intriguing part of the story. He described his meeting with none other than Samurai Jack, the warrior who defeated Aku before.

"So...you...you were...you were the hero?" Buttercup asked, her heart pounding in her ears. The Professor had always been a goofy, lame old man. Sure, he had fought a lot of criminals as Power Prof but...

"Yes...or rather, I was in my past life," He sighed and put his pipe in his mouth again. Buttercup blushed darkly as she stared at him, seeing him in an entirely new light. Her father was once the greatest hero ever born?

"W-Wow..." She finally managed to whisper. Bubbles wore a similar look of awe, hugging the Professor again.

"I always knew you were a hero, Professor!" She chirped, making the Professor blush and laugh sheepishly.

"Thank you Bubbles..." Ms. Keane smiled, and begrudgingly interrupted them.

"What did the Samurai say, Professor? How can the girls defeat Aku?" The Professor swallowed and leaned back in his chair.

"It's a very...complicated matter. Why don't you girls tell me your story and then I'll try to explain it?" The girls nodded and began speaking at the same time. They stopped and looked at each other, then Buttercup took the lead. She told the Professor about waking up in the middle of the night, and about her conversation with Blossom. The Professor sat in stony silence, staring at the other end of the kitchen. He cleared his throat and looked down at Buttercup.

"And you don't know where she went?" Buttercup paused and shook her head.

"No..." She replied in a weak whisper. Bubbles whimpered and covered her mouth. The Professor nodded and took another puff of his pipe.

"Go on..." Buttercup nodded and began to retell how she and Bubbles fought against Mojo's robot. The Professor listened closely, his eyes narrowed dangerously. Bubbles threw in her own comments, telling her half of the story. The two had spent the greater part of the fight separated. The Professor couldn't help smiling, hearing how the Rowdyruff Boys had joined the girls to stop Mojo. His heart froze when Buttercup began to, very nervously, describe just how Bubbles and she were able to overpower the robot.

"You...I see...how...how far do you think you went?" He asked. Buttercup and Bubbles looked ashamed, turning their eyes down.

"Not...not very far...maybe a little more than Blossom did when she fought Princess," Buttercup whispered. The Professor sighed and nodded.

"Well...well you didn't have any other options...and, I'm partially glad you did. I'm afraid you girls may need...all of your power to stop Aku," Bubbles and Buttercup turned up to the Professor, who wore an expression of intense concentration. He nodded, answering their unasked question. Bubbles and Buttercup traded a glance. The Professor rubbed his chin, flinching slightly when Valentino brushed against his leg.

"Go get dressed girls, we'll eat some lunch and then...then I'll try to explain what Jack told me," The girls nodded and floated into the air. Both hesitated and quickly gave him another kiss before hurrying off. Ms. Keane moved to sit beside him; Valentino leapt into her lap. She rested her hand on his arm and pulled him close, kissing him softly.

"We can do this...right?" She whispered. The Professor smiled and nodded, patting her hand.

"Yes...yes we can do this. They can do this...if anyone can do this, it's my girls,"

* * *

"Bubbles hurry up! I'm starving!" Buttercup hurried out of the closet, flipping up her hair and smirking at her reflection in the mirror. She was worried about Blossom, of course, but somehow she felt...more confident. That was it, the Professor being back had definitely made everything seem more hopeful. With a resolute nod she turned back to the closet and grumbled.

"Come on Bubbles!" With an exasperated sigh, she flew out the door, which slowly swung shut behind her. Bubbles came out of the closet a few seconds later, fluffing her pigtails and smiling brightly at her reflection. The light coming in through the windows suddenly dimmed. Bubbles blinked and looked around.

_Bubbles...Buuuubbles..._

"Octi?" She whispered, crawling onto the bed and nearer to her doll. Octi sat on the pink strip in the middle of the bed, smiling vacantly at her.

_That's right Bubbles...I need to talk to you_

"Octi, the Professor is home! He's going to tell us how to save Blossom!" Bubbles whispered excitedly, beaming at the doll. Octi chuckled softly.

_You can't save Blossom...not now Bubbles..._

Bubbles gasped and shook her head, glaring angrily at the doll. The light seemed to dim further, taking on a red tinge.

"N...No! No you're lying Octi...we can...we can save her!" Octi chuckled again and Blossom's vanity mirror turned red, a wisp of red smoke slipping into the room. Bubbles swallowed, sweat pouring down her face.

_Blossom...has been a very...very bad girl..._

"What...what do you mean?" Bubbles asked, barely able to breath. The red smoke drifted around her, lightly flipping one of her pigtails. Bubbles swallowed and shuddered.

_Come with me and I'll show you...I'll tell you everything Bubbles...I've never lied to you_

Bubbles shuddered and bit her lip. Octi continued to stare at her without blinking.

"I...I know it's you...I know it's you doing this," She whispered, a determined look in her eye. Octi chuckled and the smoke drifting around her grew thicker.

_I never said it wasn't...now did I?_

"What...why...why are you doing this?" Her throat hurt, her eyes were stinging, but she couldn't look away, she couldn't blink. Not when he was sitting right there in front of her.

_Because Bubbles...I care about you. I care a lot...Blossom needs to be...punished_

"Why?" It was barely a sound at all...a ghost of a whisper. Octi continued to smile, though it didn't reach his eyes.

_Come with me...I'll tell you everything you need to know_

Bubbles panted, her dress was sticking to her skin. She trembled and looked around nervously, then slowly nodded. The red smoke whipped up around her and faded away. The room returned to normal; Bubbles and Octi were nowhere to be found.


	23. Chocolate Marionettes

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: It's finally time to find out just what Him has been up to. This chapter is very short, it's more a foreshadowing to what's about to happen.**

**Chapter 22**

* * *

Drifting alone in a sea of shimmering red mist, blue eyes wide and sparkling with curiosity, Bubbles took a deep breath and shuddered; a single blink felt like an eternity. Her breath glittered in the fog; her heartbeat reverberated for miles. Something was breathing very nearby.

"Where am I?"

_You are with me now_

Bubbles looked up as a great shape began to form in the heart of the fog. A massive ruby red lion with a long, glistening black tail. Its shimmering green eyes gleamed, the sole sources of light in the entire void. She took another deep breath; the world around her trembled violently.

"What's going on?"

_It's time I told you everything, don't you agree?_

Bubbles nodded, staring up at the giant lion's face. It drew closer and closer, a black lipped smile hiding its massive teeth. Glittery pink splotches trailed its cheeks; a twisted black beard curled from its chin. It opened its mouth, but no words came out. Instead, his voice seemed to echo all around her.

_The monster has taken your sister. She cannot be saved from him..._

Bubbles gasped, but remained unmoving, floating lifelessly through the sea of fog. The lion turned its head, grinning. Pearly white fangs shined in the darkness. A sickly green light was glittering somewhere in the depths of the red fog, though far too far away to matter now.

"I have to...to help her,"

_She cannot be helped. No, no, no...she has gone beyond help now. Now, dearest Bubbles, she can only be punished_

Bubbles closed her eyes and slowly opened them again. The lion stalked toward her once more, leaning his face down to her ear. His breath was hot, even hotter than the fiery mist drifting around them.

"What...what do I do then?"

_I have been watching...he wishes to take this all away, Bubbles...wishes to make this place...terrible_

Bubbles could see the sick green light in the depths of the void growing larger still. It was still too far away to really matter. She turned to face the lion, eyes wide and cheeks flushed. Her heart beat faster still as he smiled at her.

"Take what away?"

_To take the Earth away...Bubbles. Away from me_

The lion opened its mouth and a bright and shining blue light filled the void, forcing Bubbles to look away. When she finally turned her eyes to him again, she gasped. There sat the entire Earth, inside his gaping mouth. Perfect and beautiful, giving off a magnificent light. Bubbles could hear every single person on Earth breathing, could feel every single person on Earth's heart beating, could see every single person on Earth.

"The Earth is...yours?"

_Yes Bubbles...haven't you figured it out yet? I've been...trying to show you for sooo long_

The lion closed its mouth and smiled at her. Looking into the depths of his emerald green eyes, realization slowly began to dawn on Bubbles. She shook her head, unable to believe just what he was saying. An image flashed in her mind: a bearded man in white. She shook her head and tried to breathe harder. She couldn't find the strength to get worked up.

"No...you can't be...you're evil..."

_Am I evil? Everything I've ever done...I did for you Bubbles...don't you see? Look at me..._

Bubbles met his eyes again and her heart suddenly raced; images flew through her mind at a trillion miles an hour. Every image a speck, but every memory lasting a lifetime.

Octi, engorged and red, on fire as he destroyed the city

_Overcome your differences_

The people of Townsville, red-eyed and snarling.

_Do the right thing, even if it hurts_

A room full of evil dolls, attacking her sister

_Conquer your fears_

Evil chalk drawings, rampaging on a playground

_Learn to control your anger_

Three evil little boys, grown to gigantic proportions

_Search for solutions other than violence_

The entire city, destroyed and burning under a red sky

_Never...ever shirk your responsibilities_

The images flew through her mind, over and over again, until it brought Bubbles to tears. She stared at the lion, as the truth finally sank in. Every plot, scheme, every disaster was a test. He was trying...trying to help them. The lion nodded and his smile grew. The lion seemed to be getting larger as it drew closer to her, their noses touching.

"You...you really...you really are?"

_That's right...did you ever wonder why I never gave you a name? You see...I have so many..._

Bubbles slowly nodded. She gave a tiny gasp as a string of names flashed through her mind, so fast she could barely understand any of them.

"Stop!"

_That is only a small fragment of the names I go by...dear Bubbles..._

She couldn't move, couldn't wipe away the tears streaming down her face. Through her obscured vision she watched the lion trek deeper into the void. Was he getting larger? She shook her head and shuddered. Was he really? She looked at him and shivered. He really was...

"I can't fight Blossom..."

_You can...don't you see Bubbles? I have chosen you...and only you. Don't you believe in me?_

Bubbles swallowed and stared at him. He was beautiful beyond reason, more massive than anything she'd ever seen before. She hadn't noticed...but now he was so large she was just a speck in the pit of his eye. Still there was something terrible about him. His fangs were sharp, his claws were powerful. The world whistled and shook when he waved his black tail, the scorpion stinger dripping something unmentionable.

"I...I'm..."

_You're a good girl...aren't you? You're not a bad girl like Blossom...are you?_

Bubbles whimpered and shook her head. She was a good girl...she was a good girl. He smiled and breathed out, a wave of heat flushing over Bubbles. Her heart fluttered and warmed and it seemed that all bad feeling just flushed out of her.

"Yes...I believe you..."

_Good...you need to go back Bubbles...Blossom has committed the greatest crime of them all...she has betrayed me. You must find her...defeat her...only you can save the world now, Bubbles..._

Bubbles gasped as the red mist began to swish around her violently. The lion began to fade into the darkness. The sickly green light washed over her, and the world dropped out around her. Everything grew darker, darker still. Bubbles felt a sick sense of isolation, of abandonment. She wanted to be with him again. She could see glowing green eyes in the darkness. An image of a bearded man in white flashed in her mind and a great warmth spread through her body.

_In my sign...you shall conquer_

* * *

"Bubbles?" Buttercup opened the door to the bedroom and froze dead in her tracks. The room was completely empty. The windows were closed; there was no sign of a struggle. Buttercup's lips trembled as she floated into the room looking around, shaking her head in disbelief. Octi was missing.

"Bubbles..." She whispered, her voice cracking. Footsteps were getting closer. Buttercup touched down and stared at the empty bed. She looked around, scanning the closet, the bathroom, and even under the bed. The room was utterly empty.

"Buttercup what's...what's going...on..." The Professor's voice trailed off. Dread filled his heart as he realized exactly what was wrong. He swallowed and knelt down next to her, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Buttercup...where...where is Bubbles?" Buttercup screwed up her eyes and shook her head fiercely.

"I don't know...I don't know...she's gone...gone...gone!" She hissed through her teeth. A tear streaked down her face and Buttercup spun around, clutching the Professor's coat. She didn't cry though, no matter how hard she shook. She was, however, making a faint noise. The Professor swallowed and closed his eyes. Buttercup was growling.

"He took them both...he took my sisters..." She whispered, her teeth gnashing. The Professor took a deep breath and held her tighter. Buttercup was trembling, her skin was glowing. The power rising within her...the Professor nodded and squeezed her with all his strength.

"We'll save them...don't you worry...c'mon, let's get your training started," Buttercup nodded and the two hurried out of the room.

* * *

A swirling galaxy, several times the size of the Milky Way galaxy, home to the Sol System, suddenly erupted in a sea of red light. The light grew brighter and brighter until imploding on itself. In the pit of the blackness, a deeper darkness had appeared.

Blossom and Aku floated nearby, watching the steadily growing black hole. Aku smiled and looked down at the little girl sitting in his hand. Blossom looked up and blushed, grinning brightly.

"Well? How was that?" Aku chuckled and stroked his beard.

**"You have done very well child...in fact..."** Aku lifted his hand and tore a void in the folds of space. Blossom stared in shock at what lay beyond the veil.

"Are...are you sure?" Aku smirked and nodded, holding out his hand and grinning as the planet within glowed fiercely.

**"Before...I doubted your faith. But now, child, you have proven yourself...let us return and take what is rightfully Aku's"** Blossom nodded and narrowed her eyes. The hatred and bitterness inside her was burning. Her skin was giving off an amazing power. She looked up at Aku, the only one who had ever truly understood her. Now his power flooded through her body. Blossom smiled and together they flew through the void, toward the planet Earth. As the void closed, Aku's voice echoed in the darkness.

**"In my sign...you shall conquer"**

* * *

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading everyone! We're beelining for the ending, and I'd just like to take a moment to thank a few people.  
**

**Incy: Thanks for reading, sorry I haven't responded yet on the PM you sent me, I'll get on that ASAP!**

**KT: Sorry about the name changing thing, it was a running gag I was doing, but I've decided to stop. Thanks for the review!**

**Review: Who are you?! Your reviews are always AMAZING, but I am just baffled as to who you are. I wasn't too worried until you used the term "Devil Jojo" which has never appeared in any public document. Or maybe it has and I didn't remember writing it? Nonetheless, thanks for reviewing! I really appreciate it.  
**


	24. Never Let It Go

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Part One of the two part substory finale. Enjoy**

**Chapter 23**

* * *

The city of Townsville, as perfect and peaceful as any other day. High overhead, the sky hung like a warm blanket of soft blue powdered with fluffy white clouds that drifted by lazily on the warm Spring breeze. Birds flew by, twittering excitedly and singing the most beautiful songs as the citizens of Townsville strolled through their lazy Sunday afternoon. The sun shone brightly, almost as if smiling warmly down on them all. A perfect, picturesque day was not what Bubbles was expecting when she appeared in the middle of the street.

Baby blue eyes were wide and mystified as they peered out across the city. Construction workers ran to and fro, working their hardest to return the crumbling city to it's previous, shining splendor. The wind lightly caressed her golden blonde hair, carrying the smell of the coming Summer. Friendly passersby waved happily at the little puff, some even called out to her. Bubbles stood in a cold sweat, trembling.

'Maybe Him was wrong...maybe...maybe she's not bad...' Bubbles took a few nervous steps forward, still scanning the city, nearly choking on apprehension. Townsville typically went from peaceful to chaotic in a matter of moments, but could it really be as bad as Octi...as Him had told her? She stopped and looked around, realizing that she now stood at the steps of the Townsville City Hall. Looking up, and with a bit of x-ray vision, she could see the Mayor in his office.

"Hi Bubbles! What are you doing out here on this wonderful day? Shouldn't you be playing at the park? Oh I love to play at the park!" Bubbles looked down and smiled at the Talking Dog. She giggled and knelt down, scratching his ears. Talking Dog rolled over, kicking his leg but still talking furiously as she scratched his belly.

"Hello Mr. Dog, what are you doing today?" Talking Dog sighed and laid back, his tongue rolling out of his mouth, when she stopped. He yawned and sat up, looking around with a bright smile.

"Well I was just here with my new owner, did you know I got adopted? That's right! Lou Gubrious, he's a great guy! A bit moody, but he really seems to like me. You know what it is? I bet he just likes having someone to talk to. I mean he's lived alone for the longest time and it has to be lonely without someone to talk to. We were out shopping but I think he went to get a hotdog. Mmm I love hotdogs! This one time I was eating a hotdog and-" Bubbles nodded and looked up at the sky, putting her mitt to her chin. The jovial chattering fell to an annoying buzz as she stared at the sky. Bubbles blinked and gasped, jumping to her feet. For a few seconds, the Earth turned black as something blocked out the sun.

"What was that..." She whispered. The city had fallen eerily silent, so quite Bubbles worried that her hearing had gone out again. She rubbed her ears and looked down at Talking Dog. The pup was staring wide-eyed, horrified at the sky. Suddenly, he began screaming and ran away, barking furiously.

"Wait! Oh no..." The Earth began to shake and tremble as a great black form rose up, covering the sky. People flooded out into the streets, stopping their cars, dropping their work, and giving up on housework. The doors behind Bubbles opened and shut loudly. Ms. Bellum ran up beside the blue puff, staring in horror.

"Bubbles! Bubbles what's going on? What is...oh my god..." Looking at the very highest point of the sky, people began to gasp, gawk, and point. A massive face was staring down at them, grinning broadly, his fangs glittering in the dark light cast by the flames of his eyebrows. He laughed, his voice making the ground shake. Bubbles stared in horror, hands over her mouth, tears in her eyes.

"Ms. Bellum...get...get everyone out..." She whispered weakly into her hands. Ms. Bellum seemed to understand, but was paralyzed when at last he spoke.

**"People of Earth! I am the great and invincible Aku...and I have come to reclaim what is rightfully mine...all rulers of this world will surrender to Aku, and pledge undying service to him. All who seek to oppose Aku shall be destroyed,"** The moment he fell silent, merely watching them with eyes larger than the sun itself, the entire city of Townsville fell into a panic. All around the world men, women, and children of all ages and backgrounds had descended into hysteria. Those too slow to keep up were trampled in the ensuing stampede. Those too frightened to move merely cried. Those with nothing left to lose, committed atrocities that they'd have never dreamed. And the heart of all the confusion and fear lay in Townsville, USA.

"What? He...he can't be serious?! How did he get so large...Bubbles, where are your sisters? What's going on?" Ms. Bellum knelt down beside the little girl, turning her blue-eyes away from the monster. She had never before seen the little hero look so terrified.

"Ms. Bellum...please...get everyone away...please..." The secretary stared at her for a moment, before numbly nodding and marching back into the City Hall. Bubbles turned her eyes back to the sky, just as a siren began to wail across town. The stampeding citizens were no less reckless as they hurtled themselves away, trying to find shelter from the coming apocalypse. High above they heard the demonic figure overhead laugh.

**"So be it! Come, minions of Aku!"** Across the world, millions upon millions of figures, dressed in red ninja garb, appeared in a hail of fire and smoke. The citizens of Townsville, Bubbles realized with a new wave of cold terror flooding through her, were trapped in the city proper. Wielding whips, swords, and other weapons Bubbles couldn't even identify, they herded the people of Townsville back into the front of the City Hall. Ominously, they made sure no one strayed too near their lone defender.

"What's going on?"

"Is that Bubbles?"

"Where are the Powerpuff Girls?!"

"Bubbles help us!" Bubbles slowly shook her head, still staring at the sky. A violent tremble ran through her body, and a soft whimper worked its way from her throat. She looked away from the sky, turning and trying to cast a comforting smile to the people of Townsville, to the city she had sworn to defend...against all odds. A city she swore to protect...no matter what...

"Yes Bubbles...help them. Heaven knows they can't help themselves," A tense silence dropped over the entire city at the sound of the bitter voice. Those who spotted her gasped—a few even screamed. Bubbles turned and stared at the figure directly across from her, all disbelief draining from her heart. In fact, staring into the piercing pink eyes, twinkling as her now green lips cast a condescending smirk, Bubbles thought she could feel feeling itself slipping away.

"Blossom," The name was barely a breath of air. She barely recognized her sister, yet at the same time knew it couldn't be anyone else. She looked as though she had become a miniature image of Aku himself. Her face was now bright green, from her chin to her nose, and the rest of her body was now pitch black. Her radiant red hair, whipping around her ankles, seemed to have darkened, if only just. Even Blossom's bow, the symbol of her leadership, had become a jagged, twisted mockery of its former self, as black as her new skin.

"Did you miss me?" Blossom's smirk quivered and she looked away, sneering. She half-glanced at Bubbles, her eyes gleaming, "That was a stupid question...I apologize. Of course not," Bubbles gasped, it seemed she had found her voice again, however small it had become.

"Blossom I...I did miss you..." She whispered. Blossom stood up straight and crossed her arms, her expression unchanging.

"So you must have spent hours searching for me, I've been missing for well over twenty-four hours, haven't I?" Bubbles swallowed and looked away, unable to bear looking at her sister's eyes any longer. Blossom had developed a tendency to forgo such mundane activities as blinking.

"I...we...there was...Mojo...we had to...fight Mojo," She muttered weakly. Though it was the truth, though she didn't regret saving the city...it felt like such a frail argument when responding to Blossom's bitter tone. She couldn't remember ever hearing her sister sound this way.

"Oh really? That must have been horrible, let me guess. He built a robot, and you and Buttercup were too stupid to figure out how to stop it," Bubbles froze, her breath catching in her throat. She looked up, her eyes watering. Her heart was pounding in her chest and a matching throbbing was pounding against her head. Blossom had never...Blossom would never say that.

"W...What?" She squeaked, unable to hear her own voice. Her sister's smirk darkened, her eyes were narrowed into dangerous slits. Bubbles was sure she was being regarded as an inferior life form.

"So how did you win? Neither of you are smart enough to do anything on your own, who helped you?" Her mouth dry, Bubbles coughed out the answer without thinking.

"The Rowdyruff Boys..." Blossom finally blinked and giggled—a harsh, sharp sound.

"Those weaklings? Those idiots? Well...I guess we have the answer to how many morons it takes to outwit a chimpanzee," She emphasized any and all words that hurt the most. The way she seemed to spit 'moron' at Bubbles, with such an accusatory tone, kept her blue-eyed sister rooted in place, unable to flee, barely able to breathe.

"Blossom..." Blossom glanced at her, but only momentarily, before sneering and turning to the minions standing around her. They watched her nervously, the only sound the bellowing laughter of Aku countless miles above them. For once, in all the years she'd known them, the people of Townsville had grasped at some sense of intellect and were remaining silent and obedient.

"Blossom why are you doing this?" Bubbles' choked whisper tore her attention away from the panicked faces. Blossom glared into Bubbles' eyes, her frown becoming a smile hearing her sister's knees knocking together.

"It's funny you should ask...why didn't you come to find me?"

"Blossom we wanted to but...but...but you told Buttercup not to! You told her! Why did you leave?!" The pink-eyed puff frowned and seemed to consider her words carefully. She took a step forward; around her, the minions of Aku all backpedaled.

"Since when does Buttercup listen to me? I thought it was her life' goal to contradict everything I say? I thought she just loved to disobey me! Me! Her leader!" Blossom settled down, breathing heavily. She paused and her eyes flickered for a moment. She stood up straight and brushed her hair back, nodding and once more making eye contact with Bubbles, "But you're right, I told her not to follow me. And now...I'm glad she didn't. I'd have rather died than not know the truth," Bubbles blinked and took a stuttered step forward, pausing when Blossom narrowed her eyes.

"The...the truth? What happened? Why did you leave? Why are you doing this?" Blossom smiled and put her hands on her hips. Bubbles frowned angrily when she giggled and clenched her fists at her sides. Feeling was rushing back to her. How could her sister betray her like this?

"Well...if you really need to know, sweet little Bubbles, I was dying," Bubbles gasped, her anger evaporating, "So I went to the only person...the only one special enough to save me...and look at me...I'm better than ever!" Blossom flexed her arms and began to emit a searing pink glow. Bubbles shrieked and clapped her hands over her mouth. Blossom grinned broadly; Bubbles understood exactly what had happened.

"No...Blossom you can't...we're not allowed to," Blossom laughed and shook her head, lowering her arms as the light continued to glow brighter and brighter around her. Her eyes were narrowed slits, glowing almost as bright as the air around her.

"I can do whatever I want," Blossom spat back. Bubbles trembled and licked her cotton-dry lips.

"Why did you let him do this to you? Blossom...I..." Blossom shook her head and marched forward, until they were standing toe to toe. Her sister had never before seemed so imposing, so utterly horrifying.

"Bubbles, step aside. I have a job to do," Bubbles' lips quivered, but she stayed on her feet and continued to stare her sister down. Blossom shook her head and lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Bubbles, we don't have to fight. Once this world belongs to Aku-" She began, but Bubbles cut her off, speaking with a sudden strength.

"I won't let you do that! I won't let him win! Even if you will!" Blossom chuckled and leaned forward. Their faces were touching.

"You can't hope to defeat Aku, Bubbles," She whispered, venom in her voice. Bubbles grit her teeth and, though it made her a bit dizzy, kept her eyes locked with Blossom's.

"I thought you said the Powerpuff Girls never lose..." The pink-eyed leader frowned, considering her sister's whispered response. With a nonchalant smile, she turned and walked a step away.

"...I lied," Bubbles gasped, unable to dodge the blow that collided with her cheek.

* * *

"Alright...now close your eyes and take a deep breath. Slow...steady...now let it out. No, not too fast...there you go, very slow. Very steady. There...good girl, now. I want you to reach inside yourself...and search your heart. No, don't talk. Just...meditate for a moment. Very good..."

_ Pitch black...silence...everything is quiet. But somewhere...somewhere there is wind blowing. I'll follow it._

"Yes, that's it...just relax and let your mind find your spirit deep inside your heart..."

_The wind is blowing through grass, there is a gigantic forest of evergreen trees. Everything is warm and beautiful, but wild and overgrown. It feels so free...but still so safe...I've never felt more at home._

"Are you there?"

"Yeah..."

* * *

Around them, hundreds of people gasped and screamed, staring in horror. Blossom slowly raised her fist over her head and smirked. City Hall smashed and crumbled—a blue streak shot across the city through more of the reconstructed buildings—as she spoke, her voice ringing out over the throng of citizens.

"People of Townsville! Aku has given you a very generous offer. Serve him, or I'll be forced to destroy you all," No one spoke for the longest time, simply staring at the little girl who now held the fate of the world in her upraised hand. She looked around at them, a devious smile on her lips.

"Blossom...why?" Everyone turned to the speaker; Blossom's eyes narrowed. Talking Dog stared back at her, his mouth hanging open, shaking his head in disbelief. Blossom cocked her head at him.

"Why am I not surprised? The only person with the guts to speak is a dog," Talking Dog swallowed and stalked closer to her, looking around nervously. Blossom kept her hand in the air, her head cocked at a slight angle. Talking Dog stuttered and shivered, for the first time wishing he couldn't speak.

"Why? This isn't the Blossom we know! You're a good girl...okay you're a little freaky, your eyes are kind of strange, and well let's be frank, you need a better shampoo. I mean, woo! When is the last time you had a bath? And what's with the green face, I mean, it's kind of odd don't you think? If you were going to get anything changed, why not your eyes-" A chorus of screams rang out, the crowd backed away, those who had been nearest to Talking Dog suddenly splattered with blood. Blossom turned back, casually wiping her hand and sneering.

"He never knew when to shut up...stupid dog," Appalled by the brutal murder they'd just witnessed, the people of Townsville seemed to come alive. Angry shouts, bitter calls, and sneering taunts flew at the little girl, who remained unmoved. She simply giggled and shook her head, grinning at them.

"Oh, so you've found your spines have you? Too little, too late I'm afraid. You've made your decision...good bye Townsville," Blossom tensed and the crowd stopped fighting against the minions of Aku instantly, staring in horror as the fallen puff flung her fist at the ground.

"WAIT!" Blossom froze, stopping just inches from the ground. The air seemed to disagree with this sudden halt, and a massive force shook the city of Townsville and a loud crack sounded. Blossom stood up and stared across the street, where Bubbles floated in the air. Her hands covered her mouth, tears poured down her cheeks—her eyes were locked on the twisted form of Talking Dog. Blossom turned callously and stared at the dog.

"You...you...you..." Blossom chuckled and put her hands on her hips, smirking at Bubbles. Her sister shook her head, trembling in midair.

"That's right...I killed him. Honestly, I think he had it coming...I've wanted to snap his furry little neck for a while now. It was so much easier than I ever imagined," Bubbles stopped shaking and simply turned to look at Blossom. Her sister was still smiling.

"You...you...you..." Blossom shook her head and sighed, chuckling. She lifted her hand once more, sneering wickedly at Bubbles. Her blue eyes were sparkling; Blossom's pink eyes were blazing.

"Just stay where you are, Bubbles. Here, I'll show you just how easy it is to destroy an entire planet!" Blossom tensed and threw her fist at the ground. This time she was stopped, not by a scream, but by a fist hitting her face. Blossom tumbled back a few steps and rubbed her cheek, glaring at her sister. Tears still streamed down Bubbles' face, her cheeks were red and hot. Her teeth were grinding together, clenched so tightly to perhaps steady her shaking body. Blossom noticed, with an amused sniff, that Bubbles was growling.

"Let me guess...you're hardcore now?" The sarcastic laugh made Bubbles' shudder. She leaned forward, fists clenched as tightly as she could at her sides. Blossom let her hand drop to her side and casually stretched her neck, still smirking at Bubbles. She sighed and shrugged, leering at Bubbles through half-lidded eyes. Her green-lipped smirk was very quickly becoming the thing Bubbles hated most in the world.

"Well, don't worry. I'll go easy on cute little Bubbles," Bubbles screamed and threw herself at her sister, throwing her fists as hard and fast as she could. Blossom just shook her head and floated back, dodging and parrying the frenzied attacks with dreadful ease. Bubbles seemed none the wiser; her only driving thought was that she wanted Blossom to stop smiling.

"YOU KILLED HIM!" She finally screamed, firing her heat rays and knocking out the side of a building. Blossom jumped back into the deserted street and giggled, nodding excitedly.

"I know! And you just watched me do it! Oooh, Bubbles loves animals so much. Poor little puppy, had to be put down!" Bubbles' face grew hotter as she charged her sister again, slamming into the empty street. Blossom laughed above her and hurtled a blast of energy at the blonde puff. Bubbles dodged and fired back as she charged, not even noticing how Blossom carelessly knocked the feeble attack aside.

"YOU KILLED HIM! YOU MONSTER!" Blossom caught Bubbles' fist and swung her around, throwing her through the air. Bubbles whipped around dizzily and threw herself at Blossom again. The red-head tripped her, snickering as she fell to the ground. Blossom's heart was pounding, an exhilaration she had only scarcely felt rushing through her. Bubbles climbed to her feet, sniffling and wiping tears away from her bloodshot eyes.

"What's wrong? Am I too fast for cute little Bubbles?" Bubbles narrowed her eyes and charged again, leaving a crater where she previously stood. She unleashed punches at a furious rate, flying with every ounce of strength she could muster. Her vision blinded by tears, her mind in a hazy state of uncontrollable rage, Bubbles screamed louder and louder with every thrown attack. She narrowed her eyes and fired her heat rays at Blossom.

"You call those heat rays?" Blossom laughed, "This is how its done, sister!" Blossom threw her arms to her sides and unleashed her own heat rays. The red haze of fury Bubbles had been cowering under was torn away in a cruel awakening. A literal wall of red light devoured her meek little beams and slammed her into the ground, erupting in a colossal explosion that drove her deep into the sewers below, and deeper still into a ditch dug by her own body.

Bubbles gasped and sputtered, trying to pull herself free from her dirt prison. Sewer water was pouring down on her, forcing her back down and pouring into her mouth and eyes. She gagged, unmentionable things slapping against her, staining her dress and skin. She flailed her arms blindly, trying to find something to pull on. Her hand hit something hard and desperately she clung to it. That is, until she came face to face with a pair of wicked pink eyes.

"Aw...poor baby, you're a mess. Well don't worry, I'll help you get cleaned up!" Before she could protest, Blossom shoved Bubbles back under the oncoming river of filth and excrement. Bubbles kicked and thrashed, but her sister held her firm by her hair and arm. Blossom had always been the strongest...Bubbles had never dared to believe her sister was this powerful. Even with the panic onset by the retched water rushing down her throat, she knew the reason.

"Silly Bubbles, you aren't supposed to drink it," Blossom chided as she threw Bubbles to the side. Her sister doubled over and vomited, sobbing hysterically. She was still locked in raspy heaves when Blossom decided her break had lasted long enough. Bubbles gasped a sharp scream and crashed through the crumbling street above. Blossom was waiting for her, and snatched her by the back of her dress. The pink puff looked amused, despite the scathing tone of her voice.

"Really Bubbles...I thought you'd at least put up some kind of fight. You aren't even trying are you?" Blossom chuckled and tossed her to the ground. Bubbles landed with a small groan and pushed up on her hands and knees. She squeaked and fell forward, the world swimming blackly around her. Blossom drove her foot harder onto her sister's back.

"Well...I hate to break it to you...but I am," Blossom grabbed her sister's hair and jerked her to her feet, shoving her forward. Bubbles stumbled and, gasping for air, fell to her knees. Blossom rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

"Poor little Bubbles...you wanted to play the hero, didn't you? Well...let me show you what it's really like!" Before she could figure out what Blossom was rambling about, Bubbles screamed, a beam of pink light ramming into her back and throwing her across the street. They were far removed from the citizens of Townsville now, Blossom noted with a frown. She snatched Bubbles by her pigtails and twirled her around, heaving her high into the sky. Blossom rocketed after her caught her by the elastic of her panties. With another heave, she hurtled her across the town, skidding and skipping down the street like a stone thrown at a pond. Bubbles only stopped when she collided with Blossom.

Bubbles regained enough awareness to stumble away from Blossom, whipping around to stare at her. Her thin green lips were pulled back into the same cocky smirk. Bubbles shivered and took a nervous step back, nearly tripping. Blossom giggled and began to stalk toward her. Bubbles gasped and, this time, she tripped as she tried to back away.

"W...W...Why...why...why..." Bubbles couldn't seem to find any other words. Blossom stopped and crossed her arms. For once, the smile was gone only to be replaced by a look of fury. Bubbles wilted under the glare, wishing she could feel Octi's warm breath again.

"You aren't even trying...so I'm going to make you try. If you want to play the hero, you better be ready to play the hero! I won't have you insult me by holding back!" Bubbles shook her head incredulously. Was Blossom really suggesting—but her thoughts were interrupted by an explosion of pain in the side of her head. Bubbles tumbled over through a construction site, dizzy and fading in and out of consciousness.

She woke up abruptly when a wall of fire fell over her, burning her skin, tearing apart her dress, melting her shoes to her feet. Bubbles sat up weakly, tugging at what little remained of her clothes. Despite the horrible burns, she struggled to tear the melted shoes from her feet, gasping in mild relief as a gentle breeze hit her blackened body.

"Oh sorry...wrong one," Bubbles gasped then screamed as a sheet of ice flushed over her. In fact, Blossom's ice breath was so massive, it continued on for hundreds, thousands of miles. The arctic wave spared no one in its path, stretching from Townsville clear to the ocean, and continuing well on from there. Everything it touched froze in the thickest sheet of ice since the glaciers retracted, thicker still. When, at last, the flash blizzard died down, Blossom stared with an proud grin at the frozen wasteland now stretched before her. Her sister was encased in a block of ice, a look of pain locked on her face.

Blossom strolled up to Bubbles and smirked, smashing the ice casing and dropping her shuddering, clammy-skinned sister to the ground. Bubbles' lips were blue, but every inch of her naked body was bright red. Blossom watched her writhe, an eerily satisfied look on her face. Finally she'd drank in the image long enough and wrenched her to her feet, tugging on her singed hair. Bubbles forced her eyes open, but couldn't bear to look at Blossom.

"Well? Are you going to show me the respect I deserve yet? Are you going to fight me for real?" Bubbles made no outward response, but the way she shivered seemed to suggest a negative. Blossom frowned and rammed her fist into Bubbles' stomach. She fell forward, mouth agape as a horrible whistling sound issued from her.

"Answer me!" Blossom punched Bubbles again, blood splattered her arm and trickled down her sister's lips. Still no response. Blossom punched Bubbles across the face, knocking her back into the street, away from the frozen part of the country. The dark Powerpuf girl regarded her sister with a look of disgust before smirking and looking down at her hands.

"Well...you aren't going to talk to me anymore, are you?" Bubbles rolled over, trying to cover herself, trying to hide her tears, but mostly trying to force air back into her lungs. Blossom tapped her fists together, electricity sparking from them. Bubbles gasped and began to crawl backward, whimpering as Blossom skipped toward her, grinning brighter and broader.

"I can fix that...do you remember what Princess did to me Bubbles? Do you? I remember seeing you and Buttercup...standing there watching...I saw the looks on your faces," Blossom voice dropped as she grabbed Bubbles' ankle and dragged her close, pinning her to the ground. Blossom raised a now furiously sparking mitt, ignoring Bubbles' frantic yelps and screams. Blossom narrowed her eyes, and snickered—it was black, vile sound. Bubbles couldn't believe it had come from her sister.

"You...you were ashamed, ashamed to see me like that...you were ashamed of me! Well, Bubbles, Princess tried to break me! She tried to make me beg, but I wouldn't! I'm strong, Bubbles! She couldn't beat me! But..." Blossom sneered and Bubbles fell silent, praying that she was going to reconsider, "I really don't think you are."

Any words of protest were drowned in an ear-splitting scream. Blossom pressed her sparking mitt against Bubbles' bare chest, holding her to the ground. Bubbles jerked and screamed and thrashed, but nothing could free her from her sister's grasp. And as the electrical shock began to grower stronger, Bubbles—albeit in the very back of her mind—realized what her sister wanted. Bubbles began to scream and beg and cry.

"PLEASE! PLEASE I'M SORRY! PLEASE STOP!" Blossom giggled and pressed her mitt harder against Bubbles' chest, closely watching every twitch and spasm. She had completely lost control, now it was only a matter of time. Her sister's cry reached a volume and pitch that only dogs and glass could truly appreciate. What windows there were around them shattered, and across the city they could hear canines going out of control. And still Blossom poured more and more power into her electrical power.

And then she felt it, the recognizable shudder of defeat surge through her sister. Even over the screams she could hear dribbling against the pavement. Her sister's bright red face seemed twisted with newfound agony: utter humiliation. Blossom watched her twist and writhe, even long after she cut off her lightning power. Bubbles laid, spasming and sobbing, still muttering pleas for mercy. Blossom's grin darkened as she leaned over her sister, pinning her arms to the ground. Bubbles stared at her. To Blossom's annoyance, the fight in her eyes seemed to be fading.

"How did it feel? Oh I bet it hurt you a lot worse than it hurt me..." Bubbles looked away and clenched her eyes shut. Blossom growled and felt her skin tingle. In a fluid motion, she got to her feet, heaved Bubbles from the ground and sent her skidding across the pavement once more. She crashed into an abandoned car that had frozen over and fell to the ground, quickly struggling to get to her feet. Her legs seemed to have the stability of jelly.

"What's happening?" Blossom muttered, itching her hand. Her skin was tingling ferociously now, the black surface rippling and trembling. The fallen hero glanced at her sister, and frowned. She was on her feet, staring back at Blossom nervously. Blossom clenched her fist and gasped in shock—and mild discomfort—as her hand shifted and became a long jagged blade. Bubbles screamed and covered her mouth, while Blossom stared at her new appendage with wide-eyed awe. Still stunned, she swung the blade-arm through the air. It was no more difficult than throwing a punch...it felt so natural.

"Blossom...oh no...Blossom..." Blossom's look of amazement became a wild grin. She had the power to shapeshift, just like her lo...just like Aku. Blossom turned to Bubbles and with a titter started toward her. Bubbles stumbled a few steps back, shaking her head. Blossom narrowed her eyes and nodded, swinging her new arm back and forth, cutting apart the frozen car Bubbles had collided with, slicing through a telephone poll, cleaving the ground like butter.

"Come on Bubbles! This is a scientific study! This is an important moment in theological history! Come back here!" Blossom shot forward and knocked Bubbles feet out from under her. Whipping around she slashed downward, splattering blood across the street. Bubbles fell back, hand over her bleeding side. The wound wasn't healing as fast as it should, Blossom noted gleefully.

Bubbles grit her teeth and tried to stand up straight. Her side was screaming; the cut burned like it was on fire. Still she tried to look brave, tried to find the strength to fight back. It was hard to muster any sort of confidence while bleeding and standing naked in the middle of the street. Blossom looked down at her other hand and narrowed her eyes. Bubbles let her hands drop to her sides; now Blossom's right hand was a large double bladed ax.

"So it works with both..." Blossom panted and looked at Bubbles, who was more frightened of the look now on her sister's face than anything she had ever seen in her life. She'd rather face the demon who covered the sky. Bubbles screamed when Blossom rocketed forward and tried to dive away, but Blossom caught her leg with the ax. There was a whooshing sound and a massive hammer collided with Bubbles' chest, knocking her into the air. Blossom flew up over her, her ax becoming a giant bat, which she used to send Bubbles flying through a building.

Bubbles landed in a pained heap near city hall. The crowd had vanished, she could only pray they were safe—the red stains on the ground denied her this hope. She heard footsteps fast approaching and sat up, nursing her still bleeding side and her now bleeding leg. As much as she hoped the citizens of Townsville were safe...she had to wonder who was going to save her?

"Poor cute little Bubbles...all alone and blue, what are you going to do?" Blossom giggled at her own joke and swung her arms around in a gay fervor. Bubbles tried to climb to her feet, but the gash on her leg was deep, and it burned worse than Blossom's fire breath. Blossom held her arms out and grinned as they both became long writhing whips. Blossom looked at them, satisfied and snapped them, stalking toward Bubbles once more.

"What's wrong, is sweet little Bubbles scared? You should be! This is bigger than danger level eleven! This is real, Bubbles! I'm real!" Blossom swung at Bubbles, who rolled out of the way. She promptly ran into the other whip and ended up hanging by her uninjured leg, the whip wrapped tightly around her ankle. Blossom laughed again.

"What's wrong? Am I too fast? Or am I too strong? Oh I know!" Blossom grinned and lashed her other whip across Bubbles dangling form. A bloodcurdling scream rang out across the city, "I'm better than you in EVERY!" _slash_ "SINGLE!" _slash_ "WAY!" Blossom slammed Bubbles into the ground and released her, whipping her backside as Bubbles struggled to crawl away. Bubbles screamed and fell forward, now covered in blazing hot cuts that seemed unable to heal. Blossom skipped toward her, smashing the street with her wildly lashing whips. Bubbles crawled to her knees, and once more received a cutting lash across her backside.

"Come on Bubbles! I won't lie, I'm enjoying this, but that isn't the point! You still won't take me seriously! Get mad! Use your full power! Come at me with EVERY!" Blossom slashed Bubbles so hard she went rolling across the ground. "THING!" Blossom slammed her whip down on Bubbles and pinned her on her back. "YOU'VE!" Blossom slashed her across the face, knocking Bubbles head to the side, cutting her cheek and splattering blood on the sidewalk, "GO-" Blossom paused in mid-swing, panting and staring at her sister. Her eyes trailed across her bloody, diced up body, and a shudder ran through her. Maybe...Bubbles was missing what she needed. Maybe it wasn't her fault, maybe she needed...help to break the barrier the Professor had built. Her pink eyes flickered red for a second.

"B-Blossom...Blossom what are you..." Bubbles fell silent, heaving air into her lungs. Her breaths became faster and shallower when Blossom pinned her to the ground, a determined look in her eyes. She smiled—a genuine smile—and leaned close to Bubbles until their faces were nearly touching. Her whips seemed to be changing, but Bubbles couldn't tell how.

"Don't worry...I figured out why you can't fight me...don't worry, just open your mouth," Bubbles gaped, unintentionally opening her mouth. Before she could rectify this mistake, Blossom's whip, now sleek and smooth, slipped into her mouth. Bubbles gasped and struggled to resist, choking on the tendril slipping down her throat. Blossom shushed her, watching Bubbles closely. Her other tendril slid across her sister's stomach.

"Just relax Bubbles...I'm going to help you...he helped me, that's what it is. You need to be closer to me...closer to Aku, then you'll be able to see just how strong we really are!" Blossom's grin widened, her eyes flickered red once more. Bubbles couldn't see this though, her eyes were clenched shut. She squirmed uncomfortably, suckling the appendage against her will. Blossom's other arm slid across her leg. She squeaked and tried to bite down on her sister's arm. Blossom didn't even seem to notice, watching the blue puff with a studious eye.

"There we go...just a little closer...a little closer, then you'll be a goddess too," Bubbles sucked harder on the tendril in her mouth, her legs locked up and her eyes snapped open. A few fresh tears slid down her cheeks. She didn't even dare squirm. Blossom licked her lips and waited, hoping that a similar transformation would happen. Bubbles tensed again, her legs bucking against Blossom's sides. Blossom realized, with a torn frown and a nervous tick, that Bubbles was only crying.

"It...it's not working..." Blossom's arms returned to normal as she climbed to her feet, staring down at her sister. Bubbles curled up and covered her face. The dark Powerpuff looked up at the sky, noticing, with a scowl, approaching figures. Only an idiot would dare to fight Aku now...she wasn't disappointed.

* * *

"Now, search deeper...deeper...try to find the very center of your heart,"

_The forest is thick, but inviting. The path is long and winding, but somehow it feels like my feet know where to go. Deeper into the wild, grand forest until finally the path gives up to a mountain. Giant and powerful, nearly ever inched covered in thick moss. Surely this mountain is my center._

"Have you found it?"

"I think so..."

"You'll know when you find it,"

_Gazing high into the bright blue sky, the peak of the mountain looms just beyond view. Climbing it proves more difficult than imaginable, the moss giving it a slippery slick surface. The center lies at the top, this I know for sure._

* * *

Just coming over the horizon was a dark-hued rainbow of three-colors. They landed across from her, gaping in amazement. Brick seemed to be filled with hatred, his fiery red eyes scanning every inch of her holy form. Boomer stared at her in awe, his cheeks speckled with a light blush. He smiled vacantly, unable to look away from her eyes. Butch, on the other hand, was staring at Bubbles. His face was red, and every few seconds his entire head jerked with a massive twitch. Blossom watched with her typical smirk.

"Well, well, well...Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb. Why am I not surprised? You're popping up all over the place, saving my helpless sisters," Brick snorted and responded, but Blossom was paying attention to Butch, who was snarling, kicking his foot like an angry bull. Brick seemed to notice and turned his gaze on Butch. He grinned and turned back to Blossom, snickering.

"Well maybe you can beat up Bubbles by herself! But you can't take on all of us! I don't know what happened to you, where you ran off to, or why you're doing this, but I don't need to know that crap to kick your butt!" Blossom laughed and crossed her arms, grinning at the snarling green ruff and the cocky red ruff. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Boomer still staring at her.

"Big talk...from a little idiot. Come on then, show me your moves," Blossom giggled and floated into the air, just as Butch tore from the fold to attack her. Unlike her sister, it seemed the Rowdyruff Boys had no trouble—now at least—unleashing all of their awesome power. Butch's fists slashed through the air like knives, tiny blasts of wind following his attacks. He brought both fists down at Blossom, tearing a crater in the ground by the sheer force of his attack. He whipped around and launched a volley of forest green energy blasts, taking out buildings, vehicles, and turning the street to a crumbling stretch of rubble. He launched at Blossom head first and shattered a building, the force of his charge knocking it flying into the few remaining behind it.

Butch tore through the rubble, growling, snarling, snorting and twitching like mad. Blossom floated back down, not a scratch on her. She giggled and leaned back, avoiding an attack from Brick. Her counterpart snarled and spun around, throwing a slicing kick at her face. Blossom ducked down and watched the wind off the kick knock a car through a shop window. She jumped back when Brick threw a punch down, the street finally collapsed, leaving a hole to the still draining sewer.

"Impressive...you guys are a lot stronger than I anticipated," She smirked and shook her head, "You're every bit as stupid as I anticipated, but I'll admit your strength is rather impressive," Brick snarled and turned to Boomer.

"Boomer! You idiot get over here and help us!" Like lightning, and with a thunderous crack, Blossom's arm lashed out and slammed Brick into, and through, the building behind him. Blossom heaved him into the air, her arm now a thick tendril, and snarled at him.

"Don't you dare talk to him like that!" Blossom swung Brick through the air and sent him spiraling across the city. Just then, Butch tore forward again, throwing another mighty punch at Blossom. Her free arm shifted into a hammer, and carelessly pounded him away as easily as she had his brother. Blossom panted, her arms returning to normal, and whipped around to face Boomer. He still stared at her with the same look of utter reverence.

"Blossom..." He finally said, taking a step toward her. Blossom was on him in an instant, clutching his throat and holding him in the air, his feet kicking uselessly. Without looking away, Blossom launched a wave of pink light at her sister, sending her tearing through the rubble and ruins. Now alone, she hit Boomer with the full intensity of her hatred. Her pink eyes seemed to be trying to tear his soul apart.

"You...you...traitor..." Boomer gasped, tugging at the mitt clutching his throat. His face turned red, his eyes watered and a wild spasm shook his body. Blossom lowered him, and slackened her hold just enough. Boomer gasped in a breath of air, while Blossom snatched his collar and held him close. She spoke just above a whisper. Her voice was like Death.

"Why...where were you?" Boomer blinked and stared at her helplessly, still clutching her arm. Blossom shook him, and Boomer noticed that her eyes were misty. He also noticed, as close as he was, how nice her hair smelled.

"I...I forgot..." Blossom snarled and clutched his throat fiercely again. She narrowed her eyes into dangerous, glowing slits.

"You...you forgot about me?!" The world swam around Boomer, Townsville seemed to be spiraling around him. He kept a tight hold on Blossom's arm, though she noticed his grip slackening. He gasped in a breath of air and muttered a response. Blossom's throat tightened and her lips quivered.

"I'm sorry..." Blossom's grip faltered; Boomer fell to the ground. He landed weakly, slouching against Blossom. She peered down at his messy blond hair, a faint blush on her cheeks. Boomer still held her arm tightly, laying against her weakly. He stood up straight, quickly releasing her when he realized what he was doing. Blossom snatched his hand, biting her lip and staring into his eyes. Boomer stared back, breathing heavily, matching her blush. He swallowed and tilted his head.

"This is...is this...is this really you?" He asked. Blossom's throat tightened again—she adored his moments of insight. Licking her dry lips, Blossom squeezed his hand tighter.

"I want it to be," Boomer stared back for a moment, before squeezing her hand. He slowly smiled and nodded.

"...Okay," Blossom shook her head and looked away. Boomer blinked in confusion and promptly fell to the ground, unconscious. Blossom gazed at him softly, her fist still held out. The others were fast approaching. Brick was snarling, Butch was howling. Blossom lowered her fist and stared at Boomer. With a smirk she turned, her fists becoming swords as she charged at the two oncoming Rowdyruff Boys.

* * *

_The mountain seems to go on forever, every step is like a thousand years. But the sky is getting closer, the center is just over the top. I can smell smoke, I can feel heat. As I come to the summit, there is a blazing fire raging in the center._

"Have you found your center?

"...There's a fire..."

"Yes...cool your thoughts, calm your soul...put out the flames in your heart,"

"But..."

"Shh...take your time..."

_The fire is raging, tinged black. Drawing closer is like walking into the sun, I can feel my skin peeling back. Closer and closer, peering deeper into the flames. The answer lies beyond, but how to put them out? Taking a deep breath, I plunge my hand into the fire._

* * *

_Get up Bubbles_

"I can't...I can't fight her...you were wrong...I'm not strong enough..."

_Bubbles...sweet Bubbles...I am never wrong..._

"She's too strong..."

_You're stronger...you can defeat her...but you have to be willing to bend the rules a little_

"No, I can't. The Professor..."

_You must! If you don't...well, it won't be good, now will it?_

"But how? I feel like...like I'm trying my hardest..."

_Oh...I'll help you little Bubbles. The wall around you is built sooo high..._

"Octi...I'm scared..."

_Don't be afraid Bubbles...I'll protect you, you just have to believe in me._

"I believe in you Octi..."

_Good girl...now, open your heart. It's going to be alright._

"Okay...I'll do whatever you say Octi..."

* * *

The city of Townsville was torn asunder, wrought with utter annihilation by the battle taking place. The sky was a sea of black, the deathly red light coming from the flaming eyes of the demon watching them a million miles away. Blood stained the streets while buildings crumbled and explosions shook the country. Screams rang out, more blood rained down. Bubbles slowly sat up, pulling free from the rubble covering her. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, slowly rising to her feet. Her pigtails were gone, her hair blew freely in the gentle breeze.

Bubbles looked down at her hands. Her skin was glowing, shining in the sick red light cast on the planet. Something was rushing through her, filling every inch of her body. Her injuries were gone, it was like Blossom had never touched her. She touched her face; her skin was warm. Slowly Bubbles turned to face the sky, and saw her sister. Her heart felt full, overflowing. She narrowed her eyes and watched the fight with a calm silence.

Blossom dodged Brick's heat rays and fired her own back, the air roared like thunder as the colossal walls of red tore apart the rooftops. Butch came at her from behind, but Blossom spun around and slashed at him with a sword arm. Butch put up his energy shield, which shattered on contact with the attack. Blossom giggled and seemed more frantic, slashing at Butch in a frenzy. Butch floated back slowly, sweat streaking his face, putting up shield after shield to avoid death. Finally, tired of the game, Blossom lashed out with a whip and threw him into Brick, then fired after the two, a sonic boom cracking in her wake.

Bubbles looked down at the ground. Even at their full power, the Rowdyruff Boys were no match for this new Blossom...this...this Devil Blossom. Bubbles clenched her fists and looked up, determination burning in her eyes. They weren't going to last much longer, Butch could barely see for the blood streaking his face, and one of Brick's arms had been hanging limp at his side. Bubbles trembled, slowly lifting her head and glaring into the distance.

She was afraid...more afraid than she had ever been before. But she knew what she had to do. With a deep breath, Bubbles launched herself through the air, her courage growing with the immense power now rising inside her. It had been so long since she felt this...she closed her eyes, just as she landed and slowly opened them, fixing her gaze on the dark figure across from her.

Blossom turned to face Bubbles, tossing the Rowdyruff Boys aside without a second glance. The look in her eyes, the way her skin glowed, everything about Bubbles suddenly excited Blossom. One look was all that she needed to know the truth. Bubbles had become a goddess, just like her.

"So...so you did it!" Blossom's broke into a devilish grin, her arms returning to normal. The Rowdyruff Boys started to return, but caught sight of Bubbles and froze. The glowing blue puff clenched her fists and thrust her mitt out at Blossom.

"Let go of my sister," Blossom blinked and snickered, then laughed heartily. She placed her hands on her hips and sneered at Bubbles.

"Are you speaking to Aku? I'm sorry, but he's busy at the moment. I'm the only one here," Bubbles didn't blink, she didn't falter as she spoke again, in the same serious whisper.

"Let go of my sister, you monster," This time Blossom didn't laugh.

"I am your sister, you idiot," Bubbles shook her head, gritting her teeth and summoning all of her strength.

"My sister would never do something like this! My sister is a hero!" Blossom shook her head, eyes gleaming. Bubbles didn't flinch, not this time, when Blossom approached her. Once again, they were standing toe to toe.

"No...I'm something more than a hero, Bubbles. I'm a goddess," Bubbles narrowed her eyes and stood up straight. Blossom's eyes flickered red, she was sure of it.

"Why are you doing this? Why would you throw everything away for...for a monster?" Blossom snarled. Again, Bubbles was unmoved by her intimidation, even though the Earth seemed to tremble at the pink puff's fury. When she didn't respond, Bubbles jabbed her in the chest and lowered her voice further.

"Answer me! Why are you doing this?!" Blossom took a step back, hand flying to the place Bubbles had jabbed her. She looked down at her hand and clenched her fist, stared at the glistening black appendage, wrapped so tightly in black. It was so snug under a veil of darkness. She looked up, suddenly, and took another step back. Bubbles noticed a crack in her voice.

"I don't have to explain myself to you! I'm doing it...because...because he makes me feel special! He appreciates me for who I am! He doesn't try to force me to be someone else! He doesn't insult my intellect! He doesn't restrain my strength! He doesn't try to force me to see things his way! He...he cares about me!" Blossom lowered her mitt and leveled her glowing eyes with Bubbles. Bubbles, her eyes glowing just as fiercely, shaking her head. She could feel a warmth within her. He was with her now.

"He doesn't care about you," Bubbles said, speaking as though she were a mother addressing a child. Blossom gasped, as if physically assaulted. She flared up, throwing an accusatory mitt toward Bubbles.

"Do you even know what love is?!" She screamed back. Bubbles winced and finally took a step back. She kept her arms at her sides, but nervously bit her lip. Blossom growled and marched closer, though she stopped at arms length from Bubbles, "Well? Do you!?" Bubbles slowly shook her head, standing up straight. She took a deep breath and looked into her sister's eyes. Blossom's pink eyes were trembling; Bubbles blue eyes were blazing.

"I know that...that what he's doing to you isn't love. He doesn't love you," Blossom gasped and swallowed hard, trembling with an ever-rising fury. She began to pulse with whipping pink light. She began to glow fierce and bright as a star. Bubbles didn't blink; she didn't dare look away.

"Shut up! Shut up! Don't you dare say that! You don't know anything!" Bubbles shook her head, unmoved by the snarl in Blossom's voice. She raised hers, finally finding the courage to stand up to her sister. Finally finding the courage that the Professor...that Buttercup...that Octi kept saying was there. Now, the lives of the Rowdyruff Boys...the city...no the fate of the entire world was resting solely in her hands. It was time to finally prove that she was strong.

"He doesn't love you, he's just using you. I'm not going to let you throw your life away because of him...I'm going to save you, Blossom, no matter what it takes. You're a Powerpuff girl, you're a hero. This is wrong! This isn't you!" Blossom closed her eyes and gnashed her teeth, a shiver of hatred rolling through her body. She slowly opened her eyes and fixed Bubbles with a murderous leer.

"Then I guess I'm going to have to live with that..." Bubbles blinked, then gasped and stepped back, dodging the vicious punch that had come careening towards her. She and Blossom were nose to nose, breathing each others breath. Blossom narrowed her eyes and spoke, for the first time, in the voice Bubbles' remembered as her sister's.

"I'll gladly change my name, I'll gladly give up being a Powerpuff girl if that's what it takes!" Bubbles' lips quivered and she narrowed her eyes. Without another word, the two were gone with an earth-shattering explosion. High in the sky, a pink and blue blur collided repeatedly, every collision resulting in a destructive shock wave that threatened everything in the vicinity. A wicked crack rang out and the blue blur fell back quickly.

Blossom rushed at Bubbles, no longer caring how her sister fought. Her only thought was that she wanted to watch her bleed and die. Her arms, both wicked blades, slashed through the air in a fury, whistling gusts of wind crashing into the street below with every missed attack. Bubbles ducked and dodged around the attacks with newfound speed. Finally through playing the defensive, she launched a glowing sphere of blue energy at Blossom, driving her back painfully. Blossom just growled and charged through the explosion.

"I'm done playing games!" Blossom blew a wall of fire at Bubbles, who screamed in retaliation. The sound waves tore through the screen of fire, creating a massive fire wall. Above them the Master of Masters took notice, and narrowed his eyes. The light seemed to intensify over Townsville, like a spotlight.

Blossom and Bubbles were once again moving like furious bees, crashing and ramming against one another, identified only by the brief flashes of light that flashed in the sky. Bubbles appeared on the ground and clapped her hands, knocking Blossom out of her brutal charge. Blossom landed and threw her hands out, sending a surge of lightning at Bubbles, who spun dodged at the last minute and fired back her heat rays.

Townsville steadily crumbled around them. The streets caved in, what buildings had been repaired quickly turned to rubble or ash. Precious monuments were destroyed forever, flora and fauna alike were obliterated, the park had become a dead field of fire. Blossom crashed into the Townsville Volcano, and quickly fired back a volley of screaming pink energy blasts. Bubbles dodged around them and rammed Blossom like a ball. She jumped back and shot her sister with her heat rays, knocking her airborne once more. Blossom whirled around and the two were gone again.

* * *

_The fire burns horribly, but still I keep reaching. My fingers brush something soft, something delicate within the fire. Taking a deep breath, I walk into the flames._

"Buttercup?"

"James what's wrong with her?"

"Shh...something is happening..."

_I kneel down beside the delicate center, and lightly brush its petals. With wide eyes, I look down at the flower I now hold in my hand._

* * *

Bubbles crashed into the ground, groaning and rubbing her now bleeding arm. It was starting to heal...but not near fast enough. Blossom advanced on her, blood trickling from her blade arm. Bubbles quickly climbed to her feet and began backing away, staring in horror.

"You...were you even trying?" Blossom grinned, her eyes glinting in the red light. She lowered her voice, ignoring the oncoming Rowdyruff Boys. Bubbles' blood ran cold.

"I am now,"

* * *

"Buttercup!"

_The flames whip around me, screaming but unable to kill the flower. At once, I can feel something...filling me. Something freeing me. _

_ It's starting to rain._

"Oh my God..."


	25. Everything

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: And here it is, the second half of the final showdown.**

**Chapter 24**

* * *

The Danger Grid glowed with a strange energy, the likes of which it had never before contained. Pearly white light flooded the room and poured over its occupants, drenching them with a hopeful sensation. An ethereal warmth trickled down every surface. Professor Utonium laid back on his hands, mouth agape. Cassandra Keane had fallen to her knees, tears in her eyes. Not a sound broke the pulsating serenity.

At the heart of it all, stood a tiny figure—the very source of the holy light. Were it not for an intimate sense of recognition, neither adult would have known just who the child was. her once raven hair was now snowy white, the flipped tips seemed longer too. her skin had lost any fleshy sense, instead shining solid white, like an opaque ghost. She seemed to be naked, save for a pulsing green band wrapped around her waist where her black belt was before, but her features were indiscernible.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, causing her guardians to gasp in shock. her eyes were solid, shining lime green, devoid of features such as pupils or corneas. And yet, her vision seemed unhindered as she turned calmly to the Professor. She had no visible mouth, but her voice, alone, identified her as Buttercup.

"So how do I look?" Buttercup turned away from him, looking down at her hands. The Professor struggled to speak. His tongue suddenly felt too large for his mouth. Ms. Keane leaned closer to Buttercup, staring into her glowing eyes.

"You...You're beautiful..." She whispered. Buttercup smiled, her eyes the only gateway to divine her emotions. She nodded and closed her eyes—and a faint green light outlined her new form. The adults felt a rush of wind and heard a low pulse. Buttercup opened her eyes, and narrowed them in determination.

"What happened? I felt everything shaking...I heard noises...what's happening in Townsville?" The Professor sighed and scratched his head. Feeling useless, he shrugged.

"I'm sorry...I don't know," They both looked at Ms. Keane, who just shook her head sadly. Buttercup sighed and looked down at her hands. The three exited the Danger Grid and went into the Professor's lab. Professor Utonium stepped up to his computer console and tried to turn it on. No matter how many times he pressed the power button, the machine stayed silent. He sighed and shook his head.

"The power is out, I guess we didn't notice..." He looked down at Buttercup, who was lighting up the entire room, "...you'll just have to chance it," He chuckled and knelt beside her, patting Buttercup's head, "With this new power...I think you'll be just fine," Buttercup frowned, and looked down at herself again.

"So this is it?" The trio fell silent. In the distance they could hear explosions, they could feel the ground shaking. Upstairs something fell over and shattered. Pots and pans banged loudly in the kitchen. Another deafening explosion passed, an shock wave shaking the suburbs in its wake.

"Yes...that's it Buttercup. You've found the Spirit, and now you can face Aku!" The Professor said finally. Buttercup nodded and walked toward the stairs; she had a nagging suspicion that time was running out. She paused at the threshold, feeling a sick sense of trepidation.

"...Are you sure?" She asked, her tiny voice defying her ominous appearance. The Professor nodded and got to his feet.

"Yes, I know it," She still seemed unsure, glancing back to face him. He gave her the most confident smile he could, "Now hurry...you have a world to save," Buttercup smiled.

"Thanks Professor...I'll bring them home safe," The Professor and Ms. Keane shared a proud smile. He waved helplessly as she left at last. Ms. Keane caught his arm and smiled at him, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek.

"She can do this...I know it," The Professor nodded. The fate of the world, of his other two little girls depended on their sister. Now was the time for the toughest fighter to prove just how tough she was.

Upstairs, Buttercup walked briskly through the living room, throwing open the front door and staring in horror at what lay on the outside. The world was cast in a blood red light, the sky was an endless veil of inky blackness. And at the height of it all, was her target, the monstrous Aku. Judging by his expression, someone was already fighting him. She narrowed her eyes and started to float into the air. An explosion rocked the city and drew her attention to Townsville.

"What the...no way..." Townsville was a war zone, but how? Aku was nowhere near Townsville...unless. She narrowed her eyes and took off for Townsville. The coward had sent someone or something else to fight for him. She growled and tore forward, leaving a whipping, billowing jet stream behind.

When the heroine entered Townsville, she found herself under danger of stray energy blasts and heat rays. They seemed to be coming from deeper in the city. There was an explosion nearby, that was echoed by a pitiful scream. Buttercup rushed forward and scanned the ground. As she reached the source of the explosion, she noticed Brick lying in a crater in the street. She gasped and quickly flew down to him.

Brick's hat was gone, his hair was burnt and torn—barely recognizable, but it seemed he had lost several inches of it—and his clothes were ragged and torn. Worst of all, there were bloody cuts covering his body. His left arm was lying limp on the ground, a massive gash running the whole length. She narrowed her eyes, maybe it had been duranium? That would mean Mojo...but they defeated Mojo, didn't they?

"Brick...Brick can you hear me? Brick open your eyes!" Buttercup shook him gently, kneeling next to him. Brick's eyes struggled open, only just able to crack open half way. He drew a weak, tired gasp as he looked up at her.

"...Buttercup?" His voice was strained, weak...it didn't sound a thing like him. Buttercup pushed him back to the ground, shaking her head.

"No...stay here, I'll take care of this. Who did this to you?" Brick growled and laid back, clenching his eyes shut and hissing. Another explosion shook the city and Buttercup swore she could hear a laugh somewhere in the distance. A laugh and sharp, frantic whistling sounds. Buttercup shook Brick, snapping him back to consciousness.

"Brick who did this?" Brick started to talk, but was cut off by another explosion. Buttercup looked up and saw, briefly, a dark green streak careening through the sky. Buttercup glanced at Brick, then quickly flew toward his brother.

She found the green ruff in no better condition than Brick; in fact he seemed to be in even worse shape. Butch lay against a pile of rubble, unmoving except for a pained shudder, or a sudden twitch. The left half of his face was completely covered in blood, his shirt was missing, but there were so many bloody gashes on him that he seemed to be wearing a very wet red shirt. Buttercup leaned closer to him, gasping when she got a closer look at the left half of his face. There was a giant gash running the length of Butch's face, from his eyebrow to his chin. His left eye was clenched tightly shut, the eyelid split.

"Butch...Butch," The green ruff opened his right eye. His left eye didn't even move, even when a twitch knocked his head to the side. He stared at her with a similar expression to the one Brick had worn. Then his lips pulled back into a forced scowl.

"Where...were you..." Buttercup frowned and shook her head. Butch growled weakly and turned away from her.

"I'm here now!" She finally said, touching his shoulder. Butch flinched and turned back to her. His scowl lasted mere seconds before becoming a grimace of pain. Buttercup looked around, trying to spot Boomer. There were still explosions in the distance, still more laughter and screams. Was Boomer fighting the villain alone? her breath caught in her throat; she felt a newfound respect for the blonde boy growing in her chest.

"Save...Bubbles..." Buttercup spun back around, staring into Butch's good eye. She couldn't believe her eyes...Butch grimaced and twitched, reaching up and grabbing her wrist with a bloody mitt.

"Save...Bubbles..." He repeated, dropping his head. Buttercup frowned and nodded. her heart clenched tightly. her sister was in danger, her sister needed her. She stood up and turned in the direction of the explosions. She clenched her fists and glanced back at Butch. The lone tear trickled down his cheek. Buttercup turned and flew off as fast as she dared to travel.

her full power, the ultimate forbidden treasure. It felt undeniably great as it coursed through her. How could she have forgotten how it felt so be so powerful? To be untouchable, to be unstoppable and to be invincible? She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head. With a growl, Buttercup flew faster still. Whoever did this was going to pay, they were going to see what Chemical X could really do.

Buttercup came to an abrupt halt, tearing up the gravelly street and crawling over the wreckage. Bubbles was hunched over a few feet away. Buttercup shuddered; her sister was naked...she was bleeding and crying. Bubbles looked up in shock when the rubble shuffled. She gasped and stared at Buttercup, who stopped and stared back. The blue puff broke the silence, realizing who the newcomer was.

"Buttercup...Buttercup is that you?" Buttercup nodded, and flew to her side, catching her sister in her arms and hugging her tightly. Bubbles fell against her, sobbing and shaking.

"It's okay Bubbles, everything is going to be okay," She whispered in her ear, looking around with a vengeful glare for the attacker. Bubbles clutched Buttercup tightly and whispered in her ear.

"Buttercup...Buttercup I'm so scared...I can't beat her...even though Octi says I can, I can't! She's too strong!" Buttercup held Bubbles tighter as the hateful laugh she had heard before rang out. Buttercup snarled and looked up to face the monster. her arms dropped to her sides, her eyes widened in horror. Blossom floated to the ground, a few yards from the two of them. Bubbles looked up and her hackles rose, staring at the cocky smirk on Blossom's lips.

"What...no...no, no...no way," Buttercup whispered. Blossom laughed and Buttercup noticed a sudden movement from the corner of her eye. Blossom's hand was twitching. She stared in horror at her sister, still trying to understand what was happening.

"Blossom...it's you...where...but...what's..." Blossom waved her hand, narrowing her eyes in mild annoyance, though her amused smirk belied her irritation. Buttercup fell silent, feeling as though she couldn't breathe.

"Well to make a long story very, very short. I am now the herald of Aku. Townsville refused to serve their new master...so I'm here to destroy it," Blossom pouted and glared at Bubbles, "Unfortunately, our dear sister decided to play the hero...so I've had to rough her up a little," Blossom giggled and shrugged, putting her hands on her hips. Buttercup looked at Bubbles, who rubbed her eyes and glared at Blossom, though her lips quivered.

"He's controlling her! Aku is doing this! I know it!" Blossom sneered and shook her head. Buttercup stayed frozen, but Bubbles took several frightened steps backward. Blossom pointed her mitt at the blue puff.

"I told you! I am not being controlled!" Bubbles' face got red as she started to retort. Buttercup moaned and grabbed her head. her brain was throbbing, she felt a blinding pain behind her eyes. She could barely stand...she could barely see.

"No...no you can't..." Blossom looked at her, grinning brightly. Bubbles frowned and looked at Buttercup, touching her back.

"Buttercup?"

"This isn't happening...you can't be...you can't do this..." Buttercup shook her head and looked up. No matter how many times she blinked, how hard she clenched her eyes, or how much she told herself it was impossible, it never changed. Blossom still stood there, like a miniature version of Aku. Blossom smirked and crossed her arms.

"Well it is and I am...so sorry to disappoint you," The sarcasm, the venom dripping from every word, said otherwise. Bubbles flared up and took a step forward.

"I know you're being controlled! Blossom would never hurt innocent people! She'd...she'd never...never kill innocent people! Blossom is a hero! You're not Blossom!" Blossom rolled her eyes and sighed. She fixed Bubbles with a stern glare and spoke in her most lecturing voice.

"Bubbles, I have explained this to you again and again. I am Blossom, and yes I did those things of my own volition," She smirked and wagged her finger when Bubbles started to interrupt her, "Ah, ah! Don't interrupt, Bubbles. It's not polite, and I'm afraid you just might be too stupid to figure this out on your own,"

"I am not being controlled by anyone anymore! I chose to join Aku! I chose to accept my true destiny! I have come to deliver this planet to Aku, and I will kill anyone who tries to stop me," Bubbles jumped up beside Buttercup, screaming at Blossom now.

"What about the Professor?! What would he say if he saw you?! We're supposed to be heroes! We're supposed to help people!" Blossom's smile finally faded, becoming a furious sneer.

"Why do I care what some ignorant mortal says I should be? I won't let the Professor control me again, and I'll kill him if he tries!" Bubbles gasped and started forward angrily, but Buttercup stopped her, holding out an arm. Buttercup glared at Blossom, her eyes burning bright. Blossom's own eyes glowed as she glowered back. her arrogant...condescending smirk plastered on her sick green lips.

"So...you did that to Brick and Butch?" Buttercup asked warily. Blossom nodded, looking disturbingly proud of herself.

"You saw those two? Is Brick still breathing? I could have sworn he was finally finished," Buttercup clenched her fists and narrowed her eyes.

"And...you're the one who hurt Bubbles?" Blossom snorted and sent a venomous glare at Bubbles. The blue puff backpedaled, a soft whimper escaping her lips.

"Yes, I've been working with her. She looked a lot better before, but when she started taking me seriously she managed to heal the really...gorgeous scars I left on her," Blossom sighed and shook her head, still leering at Bubbles, "I have to say, I was really disappointed...all that excitement and she was still too weak," Blossom turned back to her brunette sister with a bright smile. She traced every inch of Buttercup's new form hungrily.

"But...I knew you wouldn't disappoint me..." Blossom whispered, "How does it feel? All of this power, unbridled and free? It feels amazing doesn't it? To be so powerful...to be able to do whatever we want...to be a goddess!" Buttercup shook her head and stood up straight, locking eyes with Blossom.

"You're a monster..." Blossom grinned and beamed at her sister, cocking her head with a mocking, cutesy wink.

"Why thank you!" Buttercup shuddered and growled; Blossom giggled and blew her a kiss. That was the last straw, Buttercup snarled and lunged at Blossom. Bubbles jumped, her heart skipping a beat when a thunderous crack shook the ruinous city. It took several moments for her to realize that her sisters were nowhere to be seen. She squealed when another thunder rolled over the city and turned in the direction from whence it came. her mouth fell open in awe at the fight taking place.

Buttercup, her glowing green eyes blazing like miniature suns, slammed her fists down on Blossom, sending her spiraling through the air. Before the air recognized the force of the blow, she was on the dark puff once more. Blossom was tossed around like a doll, bouncing helplessly with every shining white strike. Buttercup snatched her by the sides of her head and kicked her to the ground with meteoric force.

"Oof!" Blossom caught herself as she hit the ground, whipping around to face her sister. The street crumbled and collapsed beneath her, just as Buttercup arrived to continue her assault. Blossom gasped, unable to react before angry fists drove her into the ground. Buttercup beat her mercilessly, throwing every punch with more and more force. Tears streamed down her ghost white face and every breath came out as a brutal howl.

"WHY?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?! TO TOWNSVILLE!? TO BUBBLES?! TO ME?!" Blossom fought wildly, but no amount of thrashing could dislodge the enraged Powerpuff girl. Buttercup clenched her eyes shut and punched harder and harder. Finally, a scream ended her assault. Both sisters looked up to find the third staring in horror.

"Buttercup! No! Don't! She's...she's still our sister!" Buttercup stared stupidly at Bubbles. Bubbles stared back and sobbed quietly. A sharp flash of light threw the green puff into the air; Blossom flew back to the surface, dropping to her knees and gasping to catch her breath. She turned just in time to see a bright green light. Buttercup rammed her fist into her stomach, grabbed her hair and threw her across the street. Ignoring Bubbles' pleas, she flew after Blossom with a homicidal cry.

Blossom spun in the air and threw a punch at the oncoming juggernaut, but Buttercup beat it aside effortlessly, and retaliated with a blow that knocked her into a dizzy spin. In moments, she was pinned against a collapsing building, suffering the green-eyed heroine's fury. Buttercup rammed her against the ground and held her neck, arms trembling. Blossom clenched her teeth and pulled on her wrists. Buttercup's grip was unbreakable.

"How could you do this?! How?! How can you just...just smile...how...how could you?! Do you have any idea what I've been going through?! Do you have any idea how hard it was without you?!" Buttercup hiccuped and clenched her eyes shut. Searing hot tears poured down her cheeks as she choked Blossom harder.

"How? This isn't right...you can't do this...you can't do this to me!" Blossom started to sit up, but was quickly rammed back into the ground, "You're supposed to be the goody two-shoes! You're supposed to be Little Ms. Perfect! I...I always...I always liked that the best about you...you always tried to do the right thing!" Blossom made a wheezing sound and Buttercup strengthened her hold, leaning closer to her.

"You left me...you...you left me alone...so you could run off with him?! You...you've always...always been the person I thought I could count on! The person I thought would always be there to make everything right again!" She lowered her head, uttering a stifled scream as she stared into her sister's trembling pink eyes.

"I thought you were my best friend! I thought you were someone I could count on! How could you?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?! I...I love you...I loved you so much...I always got so angry...I got so mad because I was...I was so frustrated because I couldn't be the best at everything like you!" Buttercup shuddered and drove Blossom further into the ground. her sister's green face was starting to lose some color, her eyes looked glossy and unfocused.

"Don't you remember? When...when we played the Powerpuff Girls...I wanted to be you...I always wanted to be you! You were stronger! You were smarter! You got the best power! You got to be the leader! You were always the bravest! Always the one with the answers! Now...now you're..." Buttercup trembled and her grip slackened, just slightly.

"When I finally had the chance to be the leader...it was the hardest thing I've ever done...I was...so scared without you...but I had to be strong for Bubbles, I had to try my hardest because I know you would have! You never gave up, so I didn't! Until...but now...why? Why would you do this? To me?" Buttercup sniffed and sobbed, her grip weakening a bit more. Blossom's grip on her wrists tightened.

"I always thought...you would always be there...that you would always be the hero..." Buttercup's blood ran cold as a tiny laugh flitted through the air.

"Hero is just another word for slave...I'll never be a slave again, not now that I know the truth," Blossom's eyes gleamed dangerously, Buttercup realized she was glowing. The pink light grew brighter and brighter, until it sent Buttercup careening through the air. She landed with a painful gasp, but quickly jumped to her feet. Blossom floated into the sky, encased in a crackling ball of rose-colored fire. Buttercup's gaze hardened as the truth finally set in.

"I'm no slave for the people of Townsville! I am a goddess!" Her sister, her best friend...her hero was dead and gone.

"You're a monster..." Blossom grinned and narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Why thank you..." Buttercup clenched her fists and became encased in a bright green fireball.

"I'm going to stop you," Blossom's grin got wider, even as her expression darkened.

"Don't disappoint me now," The sky rumbled as their respective fires grew brighter and brighter. The ground shook and broke apart, electricity snapped in the air between them.

"I won't...I'm going to give this everything I've got!" In a flash, Buttercup was in Blossom's face, fist flying with devastating force. To her surprise, Blossom caught the attack with only the slightest effort. Their arms trembled, their faces inches apart.

"I wouldn't ask for anything less!" Blossom punched Buttercup, knocking her back to the ground. Buttercup managed to right herself and fly back at Blossom, her flight creating a tremendous scar through the streets of Townsville. They met with such force that the air rent in an explosion of planet-crushing intensity.

The two hovered, fist to fist, for a moment that seemed to last an eternity, gazing deeply into each others eyes. Sparks shot through the air, their intense energy auras mixed and mingled with dangerous results. A harsh whistle filled the air, growing louder and louder with every passing second. Flashes of light erupted around the two combatants, eruptions of force that threatened the safety of the Earth itself. The images left behind of Blossom and Buttercup slowly faded, as the streaks of color surrounding them grew brighter.

Blossom fired her heat rays, missing Buttercup by mere inches. A dome of deathly red light rose from the collision point, but Buttercup was already on the offensive. She charged forward and threw a fast barrage of punches, which Blossom dodged with noticed strain. Buttercup dropped down and threw a kick at Blossom's legs. The fallen hero jumped over the strike and took a swing at her sister's face. Again, the blow missed its mark.

A series of shock waves rolled through the air, puncturing the weak concrete below. Suddenly, the ground exploded and sent a shower of debris and rubble flying. Pillars of energy erupted from nowhere, vaporing anything they came in contact with. Lightning crashed and thunder roared as the planet seemed to descend deeper into apocalypse.

Buttercup's fist smashed through yet another pile of rubble. She whipped around and fired a beam of green energy, carelessly batted aside by the oncoming dark Powerpuff. Blossom jabbed Buttercup in the stomach, knocking her off her feet. Pushing her advantage, she landed a few more blows on her airborne sister. Before the attack could continue, Buttercup rolled and kicked her in the head. Blossom growled and ducked under a punch aimed at her face, only to end up on the bad side of a nasty uppercut.

The air tore with a nasty snap and a hurricane force washed over Townsville. Sonic booms soared through the sky, some colliding while others continued, unchecked, and further ruined the once brilliant landscape. A wave of light shot from the sky blew away Mojo Jojo's laboratory, along with half of the volcano it sat upon. The ground near the Powerpuff Girls monument suddenly exploded into a massive crater. Even the red light above couldn't reach its bottom.

Buttercup sat up in the dark depths of the crater. Vaguely, she considered lying back down, but seeing the streak of pink light fly overhead, she narrowed her eyes. Determination flooded her heart, there was no way she could let her sister win. Buttercup flew back to the surface, coming face to face with a smirking Blossom. Without a word, Blossom took a quick breath and exhaled. Buttercup screamed and threw up her arms, a wall of fire washed over her. All around her, the fire destroyed everything it touched, turned the once peaceful park into the biblical lake of fire. The fire subsided and Buttercup let her badly singed arms down. Breathing heavily, she noticed that Blossom still seemed wickedly amused.

"We're...we're matched! Why are you so happy?" Blossom giggled and held up her hand, observing it with a scientific eye. She grinned viciously and, to Buttercup's horror, her hand transformed into a long, jagged blade. Buttercup shivered, but stood her ground. Blossom swung the sword a few times, her grin widening with every whistling breeze it cast.

"Looks like I'm even more special than you...let's see how you do now!" Blossom rushed at Buttercup and slashed. Buttercup dodged the attack and tried to retaliate, but already Blossom was on her, swinging wildly. Every cut was wide and furious, but so fast that Buttercup found her only option was backing up, staying on the defensive. The blade tore through everything it touched with ease; Buttercup began to sweat. The fire raged around them. It seemed to be growing in the evil red light coming from the sky.

"Stop running! Come on! Aren't you the toughest fighter? You big coward! You chicken! Bock! Bock! Bock!" Buttercup flushed and took a step forward to swing at Blossom. The pink puff grinned and ducked the attack, slashing Buttercup's midsection. She screamed and stumbled back, holding the bloody cut. It felt like it was on fire. Buttercup looked up and yelled, tumbling away from the blade. Blossom cut through the ground and swung her other arm. It shifted into a hammer and knocked Buttercup into the fire.

"Oof! How can she do that?! Ugh...it hurts," Buttercup got to her feet and screamed when Blossom came flying through the flames, like a bat out of hell. One arm was a black blade, the other a double-bladed ax. Dodging one arm had been hard enough, Buttercup quickly realized just how Blossom had managed to overpower the other four so easily. The others...she still hadn't seen Boomer.

"Boomer! Where is he?!" Buttercup dodged a slash and punched Blossom in the face, throwing her back several steps. Blossom steadied herself and looked around, shrugging and smirking.

"I don't know, he should be around here somewhere...don't change the subject! Fight me! C'mon sister!" Buttercup jumped over a horizontal slash from the blade, but was rammed back into the ground by the hammer again. She groaned and rolled side to side, avoiding cleaving slashes. Blossom snickered and laughed maniacally, shifting her other arm to a blade. With a sinister gleam in her eyes, she brought both down on either side of Buttercup. Her sister laid perfectly still, skin just a hair's width away from the cutting edges.

"Ooh, that was close!" Buttercup lunged forward and punched Blossom in the chest. Knowing she wouldn't get another chance, she wasted no time in unloading on her sister. Blow after blow flew with vengeful force, sparing nothing from her belligerent onslaught. After a particularly nasty blow to the throat, Buttercup rammed her head into Blossom's face, dropping her to the ground. She was denied a chance to continue her attack, a beam of pink energy shooting her off her feet.

Blossom sat up and rubbed her nose, moaning and glaring at Buttercup. There were tears sparkling in her eyes, but she quickly forced them away behind a mask of fury. She slowly climbed to her feet, her body trembling. Hate filled every inch of her body, flowing through her like a drug. her senses heightened even further, her muscles tensed and grew even more powerful. It was as if the hate was choking every remainder of weakness from her body. Blossom snarled and thrust her arms to the side. They immediately shifted into sinister, whip-like tendrils.

Buttercup climbed to her feet, her head swimming. She had long since stopped breathing, the smoke was just too thick to make it worth the effort. Shaking her head, she peered through the flames and watched a dark form approach. Buttercup started forward, only to be knocked back by a sharp lash to her arm. She held the bleeding cut and looked up, receiving another lash across her cheek.

"What the..." Without a word, Blossom charged forward, whips swinging viciously. One caught Buttercup's leg, causing her to stumble. The next blow sliced her chest, and yet another hit with so much force it knocked her to the ground. Buttercup sat up and earned yet another blow to the face, driving her back to the scalding ground. With a primal growl, Blossom snatched Buttercup's ankle and swung her through the air, ramming her into the ground with increasing hysteria. Every swing was harder, harsher, her breaths came in quicker gasps, until she was nearly screaming. Blossom slammed her bloodied, moaning sister again and stalked toward her, arms shifting back to normal. She grabbed her by her throat and held her up, wearing a grin of utter enmity.

"You're bleeding sis...sorry about that..." Blossom howled, a shrill, cracking laugh and threw Buttercup down. Buttercup stumbled, but managed to stay on her feet. She backed away cautiously, moving with a limp. Blossom strode forward, as if she were walking through a field of flowers.

"How are you..." Blossom laughed again and shot forward, punching Buttercup with more strength than ever before. her sister's head snapped back so hard, she could hear an audible _snap_. Blossom caught her by her hair, before she could leave the ground, and tugged her back, punching her to the ground. Blossom giggled and kicked her in the face, laying her out flat yet again. Buttercup wearily started to get up, her body shaking. The gashes were burning worse than any fire, and didn't seem to be healing fast enough. Blossom's mad grin shone in the fire light.

"What's wrong, Buttercup? Am I too tough? Are you giving up? You know I would never give up! I would be able to find a weakness in any enemy! I would win no matter what! Don't you wish you were me now?" Buttercup growled and flushed. She'd poured out her heart...and this monster had the nerve to use it against her. Buttercup rushed her, throwing punch after punch with angry intensity, once again calling on her feelings of hurt and betrayal to push her to new heights. Blossom ducked and dodged around every blow, laughing and jeering in a higher tone than usual.

"That's it! Hit me! Hit me harder! Oops you missed! What's wrong, do I need to get your blanket for you? Is that what you need? You're not a good fighter! You're not a good fighter!"

"Shut up!" Buttercup threw a frantic punch. Blossom caught her fist and knocked her back with an even harder blow. The world spun around Buttercup, who struggled to stay on her feet. It took all of her willpower to ward off the black spots hovering around her. Blossom giggled and covered her mouth childishly. Buttercup glared back.

"I'm going to beat you...I AM A GOOD FIGHTER!" Blossom narrowed her eyes and leered. That wretched, cocky, green-lipped smirk had returned.

" Blossom always wins! Didn't you say that? I told you before! I actually am Blossom, so there's no way you can be Blossom! There's no way you can beat me!"Her sister flushed and lowered her head. Blossom watched with a devious glee the way her sister shook and snarled. She squealed excitedly and dodged the sudden rush, laughing and swinging back. She caught Buttercup in the abdomen and held on, swinging her around and heaving her through the fire. Blossom shot after her; she caught up with Buttercup just in time to meet a furious punch.

"I can't...can't win by myself..." Buttercup muttered, clutching her stomach. She looked around, trying to get her bearings. Just where was she? Consumed in a sea of fire and destruction...Townsville was completely unrecognizable. Buttercup swallowed and shot off into the night. Her only chance was Bubbles...together, maybe they could overcome Blossom. Buttercup narrowed her eyes and shot across the city in a matter of moments.

"Buttercup! Are you alright? Where's she at? Where's Blossom?" Bubbles rushed to her, grabbing her arm and staring at her; her baby blue eyes begged for good news, begged for some kind of reassurance. Buttercup shook her head and looked around. Surely, Blossom would be on them any second.

"Bubbles, you have to help me! I didn't know she was going to be this strong! And that...that changing power! I can't fight that by myself!" Bubbles tenderly touched the bloody lacerations covering her sister's pearly white form. She saw the gash on her stomach and gasped, eyes watering and hands flying to her mouth.

"Buttercup...oh Buttercup...I...I can't! I can't fight her! I tried but it won't work! This is...I'm too weak...and...I know she's still in there! I know it Buttercup!" Buttercup narrowed her eyes and turned. Bubbles looked up and gave a sharp scream, falling back several paces. Blossom sauntered through the street, stepping over cracks, debris and upturned chunks of concrete with enviable grace. More chilling than the wild light in her eyes, more sickening than the splatters of blood trickling down her black body was the way she giggled. A distant, childish sound that seemed to grow louder, quicker with every breath she took. She was singing softly under her breath, between peels of giggles, as she stalked ever closer to them, her eyes never blinking, never leaving her sisters.

"-and their leader. Bubbles, she is the joy and the laughter. Buttercup, she's the toughest fighter..." Blossom grinned at their matching looks of horror. Buttercup steeled herself, but her voice shook with every word.

"Bubbles...please!" Bubbles shook her head; her voice had gone missing entirely. Blossom's hands shifted, becoming blades. She swung them at her sides as she began to skip toward them. Buttercup took a step back, holding her arms out to shield Bubbles, who stood frozen in place.

"You two look so scared to me..." Blossom stopped, and narrowed her eyes, her grin suddenly became demonic, "I have never been so flattered!" She moved to charge forward. Buttercup and Bubbles tensed, the former ready to fight and the latter ready to flee. They were spared either course of action by a chunk of stone, sent soaring through the air and straight at Blossom. The evil Powerpuff swung a blade, cutting it apart with dreadful ease. She glared at the newcomer, her glee gone in an instant.

"How...do you...keep...getting...up?!" The bloodied savior stumbled forward, panting but standing on his own two feet. With a pained shudder, he stood up straight and clenched his fists. A glowing field of energy began to glow around him, and though it paled in comparison to his counterpart's own glow, it was enough to further infuriate the wicked hero. His one good eye seemed filled with fire.

"Butch...Butch you shouldn't be here! She's going to kill you!" Buttercup shouted. The green puff's stomach churned observing his brutal injuries. Blossom glanced at her sisters, then turned to Butch with an unparalleled hatred and fury rising up in her heart.

"So you don't want to stay dead? You want to keep playing the hero? You miserable little one-eyed imbecile! Do you really think you stand a chance against me? Me?! I'm the perfect little girl! You're just a stupid weapon!" Butch turned to Buttercup, panting and grinding his teeth. He blushed when he caught Bubbles' eye, a tear trickling down her cheek. With a brief nod, he turned back to Blossom, his own fury steadily overtaking him.

"Oh yeah...well...I'm a weapon made to kill you!" With a scream, Blossom shot forward; Butch charged to meet her, ducking under the mighty swing thrown at his head and tackling her. Blossom rammed her knee into Butch's stomach and brought the blade down at his back. With a grunt, the ruff somehow managed to deflect the attack with his energy shield. He shot into the air, Blossom hot on his trail. Buttercup watched their streaks disappear into a furious storm of blows, idly wiping her eyes. She turned to face Bubbles and grabbed her sister's shoulders.

"Bubbles, you have to stop holding back! You have to help me! Bubbles, if I could do this alone, I would! I wouldn't...I'd never...I'm s....I don't want you to get hurt any more! But...but I need you!" Bubbles blinked and turned away, hugging herself tightly. She bit her lip and lowered her head.

"Buttercup...I can't! I can't fight her! I'm not strong-"

"Yes you are!" Buttercup grabbed her and swung her around harshly, refusing to let her pull away again.

"No I'm not! I couldn't keep up with her! She was just toying with me!"

"Bubbles without you, Butch is going to die! Brick and Boomer might already be dead!" Bubbles sobbed and tried feebly to pull away from Buttercup. The green puff held her arms with all her strength, refusing to let her go.

"Why? Why couldn't you beat her? You were...you were beating her before..."

"She's...I don't know how but...but Blossom's getting stronger. She was already stronger than me but...the more we fight, the stronger she gets. Bubbles, I **can't** keep fighting her alone. Eventually...she's going to be too strong for me to even hurt her," Bubbles whimpered and slowly looked up, deep into her sister's eyes.

"I don't know if I can...I've been trying...I really have..." Buttercup frowned and looked back. Butch was going to lose, there was no doubt about that. The only question was how long he could survive.

"Bubbles, you're stronger than me," Bubbles frowned and looked away in shame. She gasped; strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. Buttercup hugged her tight, desperate to hide the tremble in her touch. She struggled to keep a hold on the fear in her heart.

"Stay here...everything is gonna be alright..."

"What?" Bubbles gasped and tried to pull way, but Buttercup hugged her tighter. A loose tear trickled down Bubbles' bleeding back.

"Everything is gonna be alright...I promise," Bubbles swallowed and moved to return the embrace, but Buttercup was already pulling away. Buttercup spared a glance at her sister, then took to the sky. In the distance a scream of rage rang out. The sky lit up with a wall of pink light, ripping through the air with explosive force. Bubbles stared in horror and slowly turned away, sobbing.

"Why can't I be stronger? What's wrong with me?" A silence fell over the fireworks, blocking out all sensation around her. Within her, a strange warmth grew and her cheeks flushed. Peering skyward, she somehow knew that he was with her again.

_Bubbles...Buuubbles..._

"Octi...please you have to help me...Buttercup and Butch...she'll kill them if we don't save her. Please...please help me!"

_You didn't trust me Bubbles...you hurt my feelings..._

"I'm sorry...but Octi, I was afraid! I'm...I'm still afraid..."

_I am with you...why are you afraid?_

"Because Blossom is...she's...Buttercup said that...Octi please! I'm sorry!"

_Well...maybe I could help you...but you have to give yourself to me...compleeetely..._

"I...yes...yes I'll do anything, I promise! Please help me be strong again! So I can save my sister and my friends!"

_...Very good...now say...Ah..._

"Ah?" Bubbles gasped and a cloud of red smoke rose up from the ground, swirling around her legs, gently caressing her skin. Any wound it touched was instantly healed. The mist brushed her lips teasingly, imploringly. Realizing what he meant, Bubbles gulped and opened her mouth. The mist poured into her and heat filled every inch of her body. Her heart fluttered, and a great blue light began to radiate around her. Bubbles stared in awe for the briefest moment before screaming in agony. Every muscle tensed and power the likes of which she hadn't dreamed of in so long returned all at once. And suddenly she was in Townsville once more.

"Wow..." Bubbles jumped in place, swung a punch and observed herself as if waking up from a very, very deep sleep. It was as if she had never knew how to be alive before. Bubbles narrowed her eyes and looked skyward. Higher and higher, the deathly storm soared, waves of light more powerful than any weapon the Earth had ever known shooting through the air carelessly. It was only the grace of God that held the planet together now.

"I'm coming girls!" Bubbles shot into the air, eyes trained on her target. Blossom slashed through Butch's lasted energy shield and slammed him away with a vicious hammer blow. She dodged Buttercup's coming charge with a hysterical laugh and released a burst of lightning that coated the skyline. Butch leaped in front of his counterpart, shielding her with a wavering shield. Together they charged forward to engage their foe. Bubbles saw her chance and shot forward, throwing a devastating punch that managed to find its mark. Blossom stumbled, and the blue puff pressed her advantage.

"What?! Bubbles?!" Her shocked cry was quickly drowned under a flurry of attacks. Bubbles knocked her back just as the green duo reached them. Buttercup caught Blossom with a powerful kick, while Butch snatched her by her arm and swung her around, hurling her through the air.

"Fire! Now!" Three sets of heat rays shot through the air, searing the atmosphere and blasting the dark Powerpuff girl into the exosphere. Wasting no time, they followed after her. Buttercup paused in the charge, and gazed out just beyond the moon. Greater than any celestial body, more massive than any nightmare imaginable was Aku. She knew he was massive, but to even try to comprehend his form was like trying to imagine infinity. Thankfully, Aku's attention was diverted. A tiny ball of sparking white light circled him, firing powerful punches at his gargantuan form.

"Monkey!" Buttercup gasped. She looked around frantically, noticing more and more of the world's heroes engaged in combat with the demon. Major Glory, Val Halen, any and all heroes capable of flight were locked in the desperate struggle. Those who couldn't fly, manned an armada of spacecraft, more than the little girl would have even guess existed.

Even more amazing, were the giant mechanized robots. Buttercup had faced so many robots, all built by Mojo Jojo, but had never imagined so many had been built. The most amazing of them all was a giant robot that dwarfed all others, composed of four other robots combined. Listening closely, she could hear voices coming from it.

"Honey! Look out!"

"I'm on it, Dear!"

"Dex, what do we do?!"

"Shut up, DeeDee! I'm trying to think!" Buttercup gasped, watching the robot get knocked away. She started forward, but stopped as a wave of fiery energy, greater than anything Blossom had displayed, shot forward and obliterated most of the forces. Aku's eyes stopped glowing and he let out a bellowing laugh. She turned away and clenched her eyes shut. She'd deal with him later...for now.

"Keep your head in the game, Buttercup!"

"Buttercup! Look out!" Buttercup gasped and flew back, narrowly dodging Blossom's dark blade arm. She lunged at Blossom, earning her a swift backhand that sent her careening through space. Blossom whipped around, shifting her arm into a hammer and brutally hitting Butch in the chin. He flew away, blood pouring from his mouth and his only working eye eerily unfocused.

"It's just you and me, Bubbles...big sister versus little sister...I think the odds are stacked quite heavily in my favor," Bubbles hovered several miles from Blossom. Neither moved for the longest time, neither blinked.

"I don't know you anymore..." Bubbles whispered. Blossom gave her a cheeky grin and bowed, speaking in a husky voice.

"I'm Blossom, it's nice to finally meet you!" Bubbles narrowed her eyes dangerously and shot forward. Blossom grinned and rushed to cut her off. She proved faster, but was surprised to realize just how strong her "little sister" really was. Bubbles blocked the coming bladed slash and knocked her back with a dizzying punch. Blossom dodged the follow-up attack and kneed her in the gut. She promptly brought both fists crashing down at her back, but Bubbles whipped around in the air and kicked her in the face. Blossom snarled and dove back, only to be blasted to the side by a stream of green energy.

"What? You again...well...well, I can't say I wasn't hoping for this," Blossom grinned and eyed her two sisters, unable to hide—or perhaps unwilling to hide—her giddiness, "So this is what the fate of the world comes down to...the war of the goddesses. A grand, final showdown between three living, breathing, all-powerful deities! The greatest battle ever fought! Greater than the invasion at Normandy! Greater than the bloody battle at Gettysburg! Greater than Thermapylae! Greater than the fall of Lucifer himself! We stand at the threshold of history, sisters...the greatest battle of our lives—of any life—is about to ensue..." Blossom chuckled and shook her head. Her bladed arm returned to normal.

"I'm glad you're finally ready to take me seriously...because it's not pretend anymore!" She chuckled and waved her hand flippantly, "Let's roll," Blossom rushed at them. Bubbles spared Buttercup a determined glare. With a nod, they flew into what could very well be the last fight of their lives.

* * *

The streets of Townsville had grown eerily quiet with the loss of its combatants. The sky, however, had grown all the more chaotic. Flashes of light, some brighter than the sun, shattered the endless blackness above. On the ground, far, far below the catastrophe, a pair of dark blue eyes stirred and opened. He sat up and rubbed the throbbing spot on the side of his head, turning his eyes skyward on instinct. Even from his distant vantage point, he could pick her out amongst all the combatants. Vaguely, he smiled and chuckled, climbing to his feet.

"Wow...what happened?" Boomer walked through the remains of Townsville, in awe at just how much power she wielded. It was all the more amazing to simply look skyward and see just how little it had fazed her. Boomer blushed and smiled, promptly tripping and falling on his face. A pained voice groaned behind him.

"Ugh...watch it...you idiot...huh? Boomer?" Boomer sat up and looked back. Brick laid on the ground, in a deep crater splattered with blood. With a gasp and shock, he crawled closer to his brother, examining his extensive wounds.

"Wow...she kicked your butt!" Brick growled and fought to keep his eyes open.

"Don't you sound happy...where were you?" Boomer rubbed his head and laughed sheepishly.

"I guess Blossom knocked me out..."

"Pathetic...well?" Boomer blinked and stared blankly back at Brick.

"Well what?" Brick groaned and reached out, weakly grabbing Boomer's collar with his good arm. Using all of his strength, he tugged, but couldn't budge his brother.

"What are you still d-doing here? G-get up there and help those...help those stupid girls!" Boomer narrowed his eyes and looked up at the fight. Why would she need his help? She was perfect...she was the strongest, no one could beat her anyway. She was too smart to lose.

"Why?" Brick fell back, his arm dropping to the ground. Still he managed to sound intimidating. Enough to make Boomer flinch, rather.

"Aren't you going to...to help your fr-friends?!" Boomer blinked and realization hit him like a glass of cold water. He looked away, and muttered something, "What?!" Brick tried to sit up, but was roughly pushed back down. Boomer bit his lip and stood up.

"I am helping her..." Brick's eyes shot open, adrenaline gave him the strength to push up on one elbow. Boomer again shoved him back down, his normally mindless expression hardened to something terrifying.

"You...you're going to...to let her do this?! She's going to k-kill them! She'll kill us! She's...she's working for that jerk that backstabbed us!" Boomer shrugged and looked up at the sky again. Brick got back on his elbow, panting and struggling to remain upright.

"She's going to win you know?" Boomer said suddenly. Brick stared at him like he'd grown a second head. Boomer didn't look away, his eyes never left Blossom. His brother looked up at the sky, struggling to look up at the fight. His vision was fading, but briefly he saw Blossom cut Buttercup down. That sight, of Buttercup falling through space with a bloody cut across her shining chest, was the last thing he saw as he slipped into blackness once again. Brick's last thought, just as his head hit the ground, was a silent prayer that Boomer was wrong...and a silent admission that he just might be right.

* * *

"Buttercup!" Bubbles launched forward, screaming at the top of her lungs. Blossom spun around and screamed back, their dueling sonic screams canceling one another out. Their fists met and Bubbles was knocked back, her arm throbbing. She had no time to suffer; Blossom was on her in an instant, bloody blade slicing through the darkness. Bubbles managed to avoid the initial strike, but a burst of deadly pink energy quickly landed her a nasty cut on the cheek. Bubbles retaliated with a blast of blue light, only to gape in horror when Blossom casually slashed through it. Buttercup had been right...Blossom was getting stronger. With a snicker, Blossom flew at her, her arms becoming whips. Bubbles whimpered, but stayed strong, charging back at her. They needed her to be strong; this time she couldn't run away.

Buttercup soared helplessly through the depths of space, drifting on the edge of unconsciousness. Blood streamed around her, the wound in her chest hurt worse than any other she had received. She clenched her eyes shut and tried to move—pain dominated every thought. She grunted, her trip halted by a massive asteroid. Buttercup laid back and closed her eyes. It would be so much safer, so much easier to just drift off...to just give up.

'I can't do this...even with the Spirit...' Buttercup opened her eyes and was amazed at the sight before her. There, just overhead, was the Earth. Glistening blue and green despite the great shadow Aku cast on it. It had been...two years now since she looked at it like this.

'When we ran away...' When Mojo betrayed them, they had fled into space, unable to face the truth. Had it truly been their fault? Maybe, but the important thing was that they had gone back. They made things right. They were heroes, even when no one wanted them...the Earth was shining bright; it was remarkably beautiful despite the blood shed filling the space around it. Buttercup's right hand trembled, her eyes twitched. The Earth was glowing.

'Everyone is counting on me...the Professor, Ms. Keane...Bubbles...everyone...' The Earth was glowing, pulsing with the life of every living creature. Every plant and animal...every human counting on her. They needed a hero, they needed someone to be strong. Something to be brave. Someone to save the day. It was her duty...no it was her destiny, her purpose...it was her reason for ever being born. Buttercup slowly sat up, the wound on her chest had stopped bleeding. Her skin was glowing bright once again. Her right hand was shaking.

"I can't give up...not now...no...I can't lose...I won't lose..." She felt a brutal attack. Bubbles was losing, Bubbles needed her now more than ever. Buttercup climbed to her feet and kept staring at the Earth. With a serene smile, she shot off into space.

Blossom howled with laughter, kicking Bubbles around yet again. She snatched her fleeing form with one whip and pulled her back, slashing her with another violent lash. Bubbles twisted around, escaping the next swing. Blossom tutted and shook her head, smirking as her arms returned to normal.

"Poor, scared little Bubbles..." Bubbles shivered and raised her arms, though it was painfully obvious just how much effort it took her. Blossom grinned and began to glow brighter and brighter, the ball of pink fire around her becoming so bright that Bubbles couldn't look directly at her.

"It was fun...but I'm afraid I have a destiny to fulfill!" Blossom held out her hands and the glow around her grew to twice its previous size. Bubbles floated back in horror; she had no hope in the world of stopping Blossom's attack. And judging by how her sister's strength kept growing every second, Bubbles couldn't bear to imagine how devastating the coming attack would be on...on everything!

"Now, let me show you what Chemical X can really do!" Blossom noticed a flash of green light from the corner of her eye and quickly dodged Buttercup's charge. Their arms brushed and Buttercup's right arm seemed to catch on fire. She fell back, holding her wrist and staring at her arm. It was encased in a sheathe of green fire. Blossom stared at it, then slowly turned to face Buttercup. The pink aura still blazed around her, out of control and ready to destroy everything in her wake.

"You still won't die...you're as annoying as your counterpart," Buttercup growled and looked up at her. Though her arm was on fire, there was no pain.

"I'm not about to let you win," Blossom laughed and put her hands on her hips. Bubbles watched the fire around her grow steadily, and gave Buttercup a helpless glance.

"You can't beat me...really though, why would you even try? Haven't you realized just how powerful we are? Sure, I'm more powerful than either of you two could ever imagine, but we, the Powerpuff Girls, are more powerful than anything the world has ever seen, except for Aku himself!" Blossom grinned and looked at Aku with a faint blush.

"I swore I'd protect the people of Townsville, that I'd protect the people of Earth! You swore too!" Buttercup spat, holding her wrist tighter. There was a pressure building up in her right arm, it needed to be relieved. Blossom laughed bitterly and glared at Buttercup.

"They took advantage of us...why should we serve them? We're stronger than they are! We're special, moreso than anyone who ever came before us! We're not mere heroes, we're goddesses!" Buttercup shook her head, and stood up straight, staring right into Blossom's eyes.

"That's why I have to protect them from evil! That's why I have to protect them from freaks like you!" Blossom snarled and charged at her, "Because I'm special! Because I'm strong!" Blossom took a swing at Buttercup, who dodged and lashed out with her glowing arm.

"Because I'm a hero!" Buttercup felt a wave of immense release rush over her, and felt her arm blaze to life. And it felt, as though her arm had gone through Blossom. She heard an earth-shattering scream and pulled away, staring down at her right arm. What had once been glowing green fire had changed, becoming a shimmering blade of green energy, surrounding her fist. Buttercup swung it, then looked up in shock at her sister. Blossom clutched her chest, the black surface pierced by her sister's new power.

"I...I hurt her!" Her joy was cut short as Blossom continued screaming, clutching her face. The green faded from her cheeks, her hair lightened and her black skin cracked, the edges glowing red as though burnt. With a silent explosion, a dome of black light erupting from her chest and flooding the depths of space. When it faded, Blossom floated, her former self once again. She stared at Buttercup, looking absolutely betrayed. Though Bubbles screamed excitedly, Buttercup's glare only hardened.

Blossom still clutched her chest, tears streaming down her face. With a sudden heave, she doubled over and vomited, blood pouring down her soiled dress. Bubbles' joy ended instantly, replaced by a scream of terror. Blossom's eyes were wide and frightened. She clutched her chest with both hands and vomited again. The cut on her chest wasn't healing, in fact it seemed to be bleeding worse than it should.

"Blossom what's wrong?! Blossom! Blossom!" Bubbles flew toward her sister, only to be carelessly batted aside. A dark form shot through space and snatched Blossom. The massive black bird screamed and a tear appeared in the vacuum.

"No! Get back here!" Buttercup rushed after Aku, managing to slide into the portal just as it closed.

* * *

Buttercup stumbled out of the portal and landed on the hot stone floor. She looked around the Pit of Hate and spotted her target, energy sword blazing on her arm.

"You! Get back here!" She chased the bird clear up to the bottomless pit, cursing when it disappeared into the depths. The hero looked down and spotted her sister, lying on the ground at the edge of the pit—wracked with convulsions and bleeding worse yet. She started toward her when a dark shadow shot up from the pit. Soon she was glaring into the burning eyes of Aku himself.

**"Do not approach her, Green Child...you have proven a most formidable opponent, but rest assured. You are no match for Aku,"** Buttercup sneered. And started forward, swinging the sword dangerously.

"I'm not afraid of you! I have the power to kill you! I have the Spirit of Righteousness!" Aku backed away, growling and glaring at the sword. That explained the sudden fear that had flooded his invincible soul. He glared at Buttercup and folded his arms behind his back.

**"Even with the power to defeat Aku, you lack the strength...you cannot win, child,"** With another snort, Buttercup took another step forward. She stopped abruptly. Both parties looked down, watching Blossom climb onto shaking legs. She held out her arms and stood in front of Aku, panting and crying, blood trickled down her lips. Her entire body was violently trembling.

"No...no I won't let you...I'll...I'll fight you...I'll...I'll beat you...you can't hurt him...you can't..." Buttercup took a shocked step back, but her glare only hardened.

"So I was right...all of that really was you...you really are a sick freak," Blossom glared, but swallowed and tried to steady her shaking.

"Leave...get away...I won't let you fight him...you have to kill me first," Aku froze, staring at the two children. His nervous gaze drifted from Blossom to Buttercup, who seemed to be fighting with the decision to do just as her sister asked. His chest clenched in a way more painful than anything he'd ever felt before. Blossom narrowed her eyes and took a step toward Buttercup, falling flat on her face—unconscious.

"What the? What did you do to her?!" Buttercup cried, rushing forward and kneeling next to Blossom. Aku turned around, unable to face them.

**"Leave this place...take her to your father, surely he can save the Red Child...quickly! Leave Aku!**" Buttercup glowered and looked down at her sword. She looked at Aku again and seemed torn. Finally, it was the thought of Bubbles, who would never forgive her, that forced her to pick up Blossom and turn to leave. Aku listened carefully, his head bowed. He closed his eyes and swallowed. A sparkling drop of blood slid down his cheek.


	26. The Heart of Everything

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: Here it is, the last chapter in the first part of Map of the Problematique. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. This is just the beginning.**

**Chapter 25**

* * *

"Now isn't that just the sweetest thing? Yes...so very, very adorable!" The Pit of Hate took on an eerie red tinge. The Master of Masters closed his eyes, ignoring the second trickle of blood leaking down his face. The presence was growing stronger, drawing ever closer. Crimson haze covered the blazing stone floor and a dissonant tune, like a thousand broken bells and a single poorly tuned violin, wafted through the air. Aku opened his eyes. The other had arrived.

**"So at last you reveal yourself..."** The other tittered and covered his mouth with his claw. His green eyes gleamed and narrowed.

"You've known all along? My, my, you are just sooo intriguing..." _Clack. Clack. Clack._ His steps were measured, but had all the grace of a lazy predator. From the subtle swing of his hips, to the airy breaths he took, everything about the other permeated absolute arrogance, a sense of total control.

**"You became careless near the end, as if you wanted Aku to feel your presence,"** He giggled again and faced away from Aku, scanning the flames with a tiny goblin's grin. With only the faintest hint of a shrug, he glanced over his shoulder at the Shogun of Sorrow.

"Perhaps I did, perhaps I didn't, does it really matter now? If I'm not mistaken...you have lost," Aku nodded, keeping a firm focus on the petrified fire before him. It was all he could do to ignore the painful laceration etched across his chest. No, physically there was no wound...it was something deeper. As if sensing his thoughts, the other giggled wildly. Suddenly, Aku felt his hot breath. He could feel the other's claws on his shoulders.

"Ooh, what's that? Are those tears? Oh but no...no, no, no! Our kind...we don't cry, do we? No...those can't be tears but...mmmm..." His searing hot claw stroked the greater demon's cheek, smearing the blood. Aku lashed out, whipping around and becoming something horrible. The other stared back with a wicked grin. He, too, had cast aside all masks. His fangs gleamed; his mane bristled from the power emanating from his body.

**"Do not mock me! I am Aku, the greatest of all the Fallen! I am the harvester of this mortal realm's sorrow, the very incarnation of hatred itself! I am Aku! This world shall be Aku and everything in it will belong to Aku!"** The other simply stared back, wearing the same prideful grin. Around them, the Pit of Hate burst into living flames, the air echoed with the shrill screech of a broken violin. The other cocked his head and pouted his massive lips.

"I'm so terribly sorry...but you are very mistaken. You see, this world and all who inhabit it, are already taken," Aku leaned back and snarled. The darkness around them grew thicker; the other's smile grew darker.

"Yes, this world belongs to me...and while I appreciate your interest, I simply must decline your very boastful offer. No, no, no it simply won't do for you to stick your **big nose into my business!**" The other stalked across the chamber. The walls fell away, the flames erupted into a swirling ring of inferno. A great void blanketed the sky, stretching out into infinity. Countless lights, greater than any star in the heavens, filled that void. Now they, two, stood at opposite ends of this new realm, greater than anything that could have ever existed.

**"You dare to challenge Aku? He who has conquered so many worlds in but a mere day's time? You have no chance against Aku's might!"** The other giggled and shook his massive head. With a single step, the realm around them began to crumble and shift. He breathed a thick red fog that filled the void around them. Staring into it with a malicious gleam in his eyes, a single shining mass of red light appeared.

"Ah yes but I...I have conquered but a single world...each and every creature that walks my world, from the moment they are born, learn to worship one of my so very many names!" Aku sneered and the towering inferno circling them grew brighter, fiercer still.

**"I have conquered the greatest of all our kin, Death herself!"**

"How lovely...I have never seen a need for such talent, you see I have never died. Why, frankly I'm not even sure I can!" He burst into hysterical laughter and, without a doubt, all of the mortal realm quaked. Aku clutched his chest, and the darkness became absolute. Not even the flames of hate could fight against the all-consuming blackness. The other noticed his sleight and grinned, walking through the absolute darkness. Once again, they were in the Pit of Hate.

"A very interesting ailment you've developed...a positively delicious **weakness,"** Aku turned away from Him and clutched his chest tighter. His body was a jigsaw of blazing red cracks, more bloody tears streams down his sickly green cheeks.

**"...What has become of me?"**

"Why, isn't it obvious? Just think back...don't you remember?"

_Aku sniffed, the metallic scent of her blood floating in the air. Something familiar drew him closer to her. Blossom's breathing sped up, a few frightened tears working their way to her eyes, even if they were lost in the rain. Aku's tongue flicked out, passing over her bleeding cheek._

**"The cut...I was drawn to the child...or perhaps the child was drawn to me? But this blood..."**

"It is simply fascinating isn't it! To see you cry bleeding tears of sweet, delicate suffering! But how, I wonder? After all...we don't have blood, do we?"

_The sludge peered up through the cracks as a feminine scream echoed overhead. The sludge heard two voices yell a name, and watched as blood rained down from the sky. The blood dribbled down through the crack onto the substance._

**"It is...her blood. The Red Child..."**

"Very good...are you starting to understand? No? Oh poo! I took you for someone far more intellectual..."

_Sugar...Spice...and Everything Nice, these were the ingredients chosen to create the Perfect Little Girl. But an extra ingredient was added—__**THEMASTER OF MASTERS! THE DELIVERER OF DARKNESS! THE SHOGUN OF SORROW—**__Chemical X! Thus—__**ONCE AGAIN I AM FREE TO SMITE THE WORLD AS I DID IN DAYS LONG PASSED—**__the Powerpuff Girls were born!_

Aku stared down at his hands, his eyes wide and trembling. Him giggled and covered his mouth, watching with sadistic glee. The pieces were all starting to fit together. The pain was growing stronger with every breath he took. Every rhythmic pump in his chest was like a searing jolt of fire.

"Yes...yes...isn't it amazing? Why...just as you gave something to dear, sweet, **precious** little Blossom...it would seem she gave something back to you...oh but, deary me, it would appear her gift was far less satisfactory!" Him cackled with psychotic glee and floated into the air, a throne materializing beneath him. Daintily, he folded his claws on his lap and continued to grin at the troubled demon.

**"Why have you come here?"** Aku could barely speak. Somehow...the pain was worse knowing its source.

"Merely a friendly warning...you could say we're friends, right?" Aku snarled, "Acquaintances?" His eyebrows became small smoldering fires and Him shrugged, his jovial expression never changing, "Well we're both..." He smirked and looked away, "Right?" Aku crossed his arms and nodded, his imposing glare dampened by flinches of pain and tears of blood.

"Yes...and that—and only that—is why I will let you stay...call it a community service! But this world is mine...and next time, Aku," The room became a sickening shade of green, "**I won't play ****nice,"** There was another laugh that slowly faded away. Once again, he was alone...

* * *

_Beep...beep....beep...beep...beep_

"I don't know how...but her body is trying to produce both Chemical X and synthetic Chemical X...it's having a very debilitating effect on her. Her powers are out of control, her healing factor isn't working properly...her body is actually...actually tearing itself apart,"

_Beep...beep...beep...beep..._

"I don't...I don't know what to do. She's been physically mutated by...whatever it was that did this. The Antidote-X drip is keeping her sustained but...it can only do so much. If she doesn't bleed to death from the cut on her stomach...the mutation has an almost guaranteed chance of killing her..."

_Beep...beep...beep..._

"At this point there's nothing else we can do...I'm...oh God, I don't know what else to do! There has to be something! But what? What?! No...no I can't lose her...please..."

* * *

The silent intensity of the underground laboratory was broken only by the monotonous beeping of the nearby heart monitor, and the almost inaudible sound of the tiny figure's strangled breaths. Every one, as shallow as a puddle left behind by a snowflake. Her chest heaved, her entire body trembling as if merely drawing in air was more difficult than lifting the weight of the entire world. Mere hours previous, the latter seemed so easy.

The little girl scarcely resembled the maniacal planet killer of yesterday. Once silken smooth hair lay flat and stringy, caked with dried blood and a deathly sheen of sweat. At one time, hers had been perhaps the most powerful body in the world. Now, it was fragile as a porcelain doll, sickly and pale, shifting between fatal degrees of hot and cold. A red tinged tube came from her side, pumping out the blood and toxins filling her deteriorating stomach. Dripping red bandages draped over her chest, a trickle of blood pooling beneath the bed as it slipped over the side.

In the shadows surrounding the tiny bed, the darkness grew deeper and a pair of flickering flames lit up the night. His wicked red eyes fell upon her, and the darkness lit up with painful red light. To see her slipping so far...to see her so weak and helpless, it was worse than dying. Every struggling breath she took, felt as though it was sustaining him as well. Cautiously, he slipped from the shadows and approached the tiny goddess.

**"No...no longer a goddess...but a child," **He whispered, lightly stroking her hair. She moaned and arched her back, falling back with a painful hiss into unmoving sleep. Time was definitely against him...for once in his immortal life, Aku was faced with a situation he couldn't wait on. A moment where biding time was the same as plunging into the sacred steel of the Samurai's sword.

**"Child...no...Blossom, your time is running out..." **Aku sighed and stroked her cheek, trailing a finger across her jaw, he light brushed his fingertips against her lips.

**"Perhaps, when you awaken, you will question just what has transpired. What you need know is that you were given another chance...I have realized a grave mistake. It would appear that from the moment I awoke into this world...from the moment I first met you, when it was your very life blood that gave me strength to be reborn...I have been unable to do...to achieve anything. I simply cannot act correctly since I met you child..."**

** "Blossom, you have changed Aku in a way that I never imagined, never even thought possible," **Aku's fingers slipping into her mouth, his tendril reached into her, became a part of her. He could feel the blight spreading through her, could feel the mutation tearing her body, more precious than anything else to have ever been, asunder. His darkness spread through her and—where previously he had merely oppressed the mutation—completely wiped away all trace of the rogue synthetic chemicals.

**"You could not know...could not understand what you have done to me. You have delivered to me a blow greater than any fatal strike...you have given me a weakness greater than any Spirit. That day I was given a heart...a heart that beats with your blood, forever linking us together," **

Blossom moaned and curled up, pulling the blankets tighter around her now fully healed body. The tube that had previously been connected to her stomach hung uselessly at the side of the bed. Aku smiled as a trickle of blood slipped from his cheek and landed on her hand.

**"It is most incredible to think...all this time, I have told you that you can never hope to defeat Aku,"** Aku looked down at the drop of blood sliding down her hand. He chuckled and gently stroked her cheek. Blossom smiled, as Aku faded into the shadows and left the room in peaceful serenity once more.

**"All along...it was I who could never hope to defeat you, Blossom,"**


	27. Prologue

**Endless Possibilities**

**Author's Note: As one story closes...a new one begins**

**Epilogue**

* * *

_Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away_

_Now it looks as though they're here to stay,_

_Oh, I believe in yesterday..._

The tiny guest room had changed drastically in but a month's time. True, it remained as white and plain as ever, but it now had the quaint charm of a space actually lived in. A bookshelf had been added, stacked with tomes far more advanced than the occupant's age would imply. Not a toy to be found, an oddity in a sense that the room's occupant had only just graduated from kindergarten. The most prominent decoration was a poster hanging on the wall over the bed, proclaiming to the world "My Special Person".

_Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be_

_There's a shadow hanging over me,_

_Oh, yesterday came suddenly..._

The room was draped in a cloak of darkness, not a drop of moonlight slipping in through the window. The curtains were wide open, letting in the night shamelessly. A book, proudly displaying Nabokov as its author, laid open on the floor, the reader curled up on the plain white bed. In her arms she clutched a doll...eerily familiar, yet altered. It was a doll her family had never seen, one she hoped they'd never discover. The ramifications of her poster, her final project, had been bad enough. She didn't dare think of what might happen if they saw her doll.

_Why she had to go, I don't know. She wouldn't say..._

_I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday..._

The poster in question was very large, a full sheet of poster board with pink and black lettering. In the center, meticulously crafted with various shades of glitter—something she'd previously have never been caught using—was a portrait of her special person. Though her sister was more commonly known for her artistic abilities, the portrait clearly displayed that the red-haired child was no slouch in design. Other images, some of herself and others of who she used to be, decorated the perimeter, broken up by bits and pieces of information.

_Yesterday, love was such an easy game to play_

_Now I need a place to hide away,_

_Oh, I believe in yesterday..._

A tiny pink CD player sat on the desk by the window, softly playing an old song. A sweet, sad lullaby, so intimate and sincere the little girl couldn't help shedding a tear or two. She held her doll tighter, curled further beneath the heavy comforter and snuggled closer to her pillow. Not fast asleep, but lying awake in the dead of night and carried through painful, beautiful memories. As the song drifted into a close, fatigue overtook her and gently pulled her into the warm embrace of sleep where dream and memory felt...almost real.

The tiny doll she nuzzled lovingly had been altered, carefully and delicately. A dress that before had been pink was now black, shoes and stockings made equally dark, as was the bright red ribbon, the very sign of her leadership. Most careful of all the alterations, her face was now sickly green. The secret doll of Devil Blossom stared at the ceiling, a tiny smile on her plush face.

* * *

The city of Townsville! In but a short month's time, the once smoldering crater had been rebuilt to workable order. Yes, while it was still very far from recovered, Townsville was pressing on just the same as always. With the help of some outside sources, officials estimated that the city would be back to normal in but a few more months time. But...as was common in Townsville, the nocturnal hours were seldom silent. Beneath the sleeping city, in the tattered patchwork of the Townsville sewer system, a dark figure shuffled along, clutching a strip of blue cloth.

"Yes...I thought I would never find it...stupid girls..." His breath stung the air, rancid waves of putrid stench radiated from his tattered cloak. Every step he took was pained and slow, dragging the jagged stone walkway and leaving behind a trail of blood. He tenderly trailed a scaly finger across the dark red stain in the blue cloth.

"So this...this is the real power of Chemical X? So beautiful...so perfect...if he could do it, why can't I do it better?" Light from above caught his eyes, reflecting off his tattered sunglasses. He looked up through the scar in the Townsville street and grinned, slinking deeper into the sewer system.

_And every night it just stays the same...I dream of absolution..._


	28. A Murder of Three

**"_Would you catch me if I was falling?_**

**_Would you kiss me if I was leaving?_**

**_Would you hold me cause I'm lonely,_**

**_Without you..._**

**_And I can't see nothing, nothing...around here_"**

**Round Here (Counting Crows "Across the Wire")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 1**

* * *

The clock ticked meticulously on the wall, pale white face staring across the plain white room. A little girl, her long red hair down and laying in waves around her, sat on a pink quilted bed, the only break in the white monotony of the small corner room. She poured over a book far too large for her age, filled with complex words and ideas that even someone thrice her age would be troubled to understand. As she read, she clutched a tiny black doll, burying her face in its black bow and soft orange hair. In any other situation, it would have been an adorable little scene. That is, until the casual onlooker took a closer look at her hot pink eyes. They stared blankly at the book, not really reading, not really focused on anything at all. She broke her trance when a harsh knock banged against the door.

"It's unlocked, Buttercup! Just come in!" Blossom quickly stuffed her doll underneath her pillow, just as her black-haired sister hovered in, arms crossed and an irate look on her face. The two traded glares for a moment; the intensity was finally broken when the redhead crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow.

"What do you want, Buttercup? I'm really busy right now," Buttercup rolled her eyes and looked away, assuming a near identical look of distaste. Blossom frowned, knowing that her sister—recently at least—only barged into her room for one reason.

"We just got a call, the supermarket was robbed," Blossom nodded and quickly marked her place in the book, following Buttercup through the halls to the ground floor. The third member of their trio, the blonde-haired Bubbles, was waiting for them. She quickly flew up to fill the empty space on Buttercup's right. Without further hesitation, the Powerpuff Girls were off on the case.

* * *

When they arrived, the police force was already combing the recently reestablished supermarket. Blossom looked around, amazed at how quickly Townsville had recovered. Not more than two months ago, it was little more than a crater. She turned back and caught sight of the police chief's eye. She flinched away, staring down at her black shoes. The rest of the country—the rest of the world even—wasn't fairing nearly as well. They weren't quite as accustomed to utter catastrophe, she thought with a tiny smile. Blossom felt hard eyes staring at her, and quickly forced her smile away; looking up, she put on her game face.

"What's the trouble, Chief?" The Chief sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking around the trashed supermarket entrance. It was an absolute mess, the kind the city hadn't seen in a while. Produce flung every which way, canned foods slit open and poured out. The goop mixed and mingled with the endless variety of beverages which had been unceremoniously spread across the once polished floor.

"Well, that much is obvious, someone broke in, trashed the place up, and stole all the money from the registers," Blossom nodded, turning to look at the various employees who were being questioned. The supermarket had been one of the first facilities rebuilt, and as such had been practically fighting off job applications for the first few weeks. Thankfully, generous parties from other towns had offered to help Townsville. Afterall, the city had suffered greater damage than anywhere else in the world. Were it not for the city's usual pattern of destruction and various defensive measures...rebuilding wouldn't even be an option.

"Right, sorry I asked. Um...so uh...are there any clues?" The chief smiled and nodded, leading the girls to the manager, who looked absolutely stricken. They immediately recognized him as the curator of the still under-construction Townsville Museum. The poor limp-wristed man was nearly bald, and looked at them with tears in his eyes.

"Oh girls! Girls you've finally arrived! Oh I don't know what I'd do without you two! Oh please, you have to help me! My poor store has just been ruined!" He grabbed Bubbles' collar, sobbing into her baby blue dress. Bubbles blinked and looked at her sister, who groaned and slapped her forehead.

"Mr. Manager, settle down! Just tell us what you know!" Blossom crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow as the manager flew into a rapid fire detail of the security tapes. Apparently around midnight a group of thugs slipped into the supermarket, dressed in black, and stole several pounds of food. Stranger still, the cameras all went out simultaneously. Someone had shorted the control panel, well after the store had been robbed.

"Huh...that's strange...why do you think it just went out?" Bubbles asked, looking from the manager, to the chief, to her sister. Blossom put her mitt to her chin, deep in thought. There were so many questions that still needed to be answered. If they could just see the tape.

"That's it? Man, I thought you'd have more to go on," The manager sighed and looked at the Powerpuff leader. He bit his lip and wiped his watery eyes.

"I'm so sorry! I've tried to find something else, but there's nothing! All of the videos end in the same place!" Blossom looked down at her wrist and glared, rubbing it in frustration. There had to be more, they just needed to see the video. Common crooks to supervillains...they all left behind clues, they all made mistakes. It was in their nature, they were only human.

"Can we see-" Blossom started, finally speaking after remaining in silence for the greater part of the exchange. Buttercup quickly cut her off.

"Well maybe we can look for clues! I bet we can find stuff the cops missed!" The chief nodded, and left as the two Powerpuff girls flew off to scour the area. Blossom glowered at the retreating streak of green light. She smiled and looked back at the manager. The wiry older man squeaked and took a step back. Swallowing nervously, he rushed off to the safety of the police line. Blossom put her hands on her hips and took a slow deep breath.

'1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10,' She kept her eyes closed, holding her breath, ignoring the sounds around her. The hustle and bustle of investigation faded away, even the chipper zig-zagging of her sisters flying through the air.

'1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10,' Blossom slowly exhaled, keeping her eyes shut. Her mind focused in on the manager's description of the video. If they could just see it, just once.

'1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10," She opened her eyes and forced a smile, quickly flying off to join her sisters' hunt. Maybe, with any luck, they'd actually would find something.

* * *

"How did it go, girls?" The Powerpuff Girls, irate and defeated, floated in through the front door of their suburban home. Their father, Professor Utonium, stepped out of the kitchen dressed in a pink apron and yellow rubber gloves. The one who had spoken to them, Ms. Cassandra Keane, smiled from the table where she sat sipping a cup of coffee. The girls took their usual seats at the table and Blossom watched Bubbles struggle to quietly scoot her seat closer to Buttercup. Rolling her eyes, Buttercup simply tugged the seat closer before returning to her sour mood.

"It was a bust! We couldn't find any clues at all...the mess covered up everything!" Ms. Keane sighed and looked around at them, smiling encouragingly.

"Well you are very bright girls, and we have a great police force! I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out," Bubbles smiled brightly and Buttercup grinned begrudgingly.

"Yeah, Buttercup, we can go back later and see if the police have found anything!" Bubbles suggested.

"That's a great idea Bubbles! Let's eat lunch, then we'll go back and-" Blossom closed her eyes, tempted to try counting again. She wanted to avoid a confrontation but...

"If you hadn't interrupted me before, I think we could have figured out who was behind this already," She finally said, breaking the warm air like a hammer through glass. Buttercup whipped around instantly, her eyes narrowed into slits. All movement in the kitchen stopped, even the water dripping from the sink faucet.

"You're saying I'm too stupid to be the leader, aren't you?! You don't think I can do it, do you?" Blossom frowned and crossed her arms.

"That wasn't what I said at all! I simply said that I had an idea that could have helped solve this mystery!" Buttercup clenched her fists at her sides. She thrust an accusatory mitt at Blossom, who flinched back slightly.

"You do this every time we get a call! You don't think I'm smart enough! I don't need your help!" Blossom gasped indignantly and stood up in her chair, her cheeks getting red.

"Stop putting words in my mouth! Part of being a leader is listening to your team! If it was me and you had an idea-" Buttercup jumped up on her chair, cheeks red as well.

"Well it's not you anymore! Let me figure this out instead of trying to backseat lead! You're lucky to even be a Powerpuff Girl now!" Blossom narrowed her eyes, her hands dropping limp at her sides. Her lip trembled, but she kept her glare unblinking.

"This isn't about that! This is about a robbery that has a tremendous impact on the citizens of Townsville! Stop being so selfish!" Buttercup retorted without a moment's hesitation, her words cutting Blossom like a knife.

"I'm selfish?! You're the one who tried to blow up the world! This is all your fault!" Blossom swallowed; the sensation was like trying to ingest glass and nails. The Professor pulled off his gloves, stepping between them.

"That is enough! You two have more important things to do than fight each other...now, you should at least listen to Blossom's advice, Buttercup, she has more experience leading than you," Buttercup turned to the Professor with wide eyes. Blossom turned away, trying to ignore the betrayal in her sister's voice.

"Professor! After what she did-" The Professor cleared his throat and put a hand on Buttercup's head.

"That is neither here nor now, Buttercup. But, Blossom," He turned to his other daughter, who refused to meet his gaze. Blossom kept her eyes on the floor.

'1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10,' She thought softly, taking a deep breath.

"Blossom you should be a little more encouraging of your sister. She and you have very different leading styles, you shouldn't try to force her to do things your way. Buttercup is right...that isn't...that's not your role any more," Blossom jumped down from her seat, rubbing her wrist and ignoring both sisters. Bubbles scooted closer to the table when she walked by.

"I'm going to my room..." Blossom hovered up the stairs, forcing herself to ignore the muttering voices in the kitchen. She slammed the door to her room, tempted to lock it but knowing she'd only get in more trouble. Blossom shut the blinds on the window and threw herself down on the bed. Her heart was pounding, her blood was rushing...she felt so heavy and uncomfortable. Blossom pounded her fist on the bed and looked up. Reaching under her pillow, she pulled out her doll. A replica of herself, but with a green face and black skin. She smiled and hugged the doll close.

"You'd trust me...wouldn't you?" Blossom sniffed and laid down, rolling onto her side and staring at the wall. She nuzzled the doll, taking a deep breath. Its synthetic hair still smelled so fresh and manufactured. It was a soothing smell, or at least it had become a soothing one. She wiped her eyes and snuggled up with her doll, staring at the shadows. They remained still and lifeless...completely empty. Blossom clenched her eyes shut and hung on to that thought as she drifted into an uneasy sleep.


	29. A Murder of Four

"_**Well, I guess you left me with some feathers in my hand**_

_**Did it make it any easier to leave me where I stand?**_

_**I guess there's not too many who would stand beside you now...**_

_**Where'd you come from? Where am I going?**_

_**Why'd you leave me 'till I'm only good for...**_

_**Waiting for you?"**_

**Angels of the Silences (Counting Crows "Recovering the Satellites")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Blossom rolled over, crawling deeper beneath the bulky white comforter. She'd long since slid away from her pillow, now drooling on the bed itself. Outside, the hot summer's day droned on. Birds cried and raced to and fro, while children screamed and ran around wallowing in the last stretch of summer vacation. Inside, the dark bedroom sat in a static silence broken only by the loud tick of the clock moving in time with the soft snores of its occupant.

Pounding knocks broke the stillness, stirring the slumbering superhero. Blossom sat up, pushing the wild locks of hair away from her face. As the door creaked open, she slid one hand under her pillow—the other wiped away the drool trickling down her chin. Stifling a yawn, she sighed and stared at the door.

"It's open," Light flooded the dark room, washing over the disheveled bed. Blossom blinked and looked away.

"We got another call...same deal as last time, 'cept it was clothes this time," Blossom nodded and opened her eyes when the door shut again. She stared at the door, hands folded in her lap. With another sigh, she climbed out of bed and shuffled to the mirror, brushing her long hair in slow, tired strokes. She flinched when it hit a snag, but otherwise it was the same as always: a bit too red and much too long. Blossom sat the brush down and gave her appearance one last shrug before heading downstairs to join her sisters.

She walked, rather than flying, down the stairs, hands dangling at her sides. She glanced up, looking at the pictures that lined the walls. She paused, staring at one of the four of them—herself, her sisters, and the Professor—at Wally World. There were voices drifting in from the hallway, where the Hotline was kept. She stumbled down the last few steps and turned to her sisters. Like usual, Buttercup seemed irritated, probably upset that her day was interrupted by something as mundane as a robbery. Or maybe she was angry that she hadn't figured out the culprit yet. Bubbles took a step back as Blossom approached, floating up beside Buttercup.

"It took you long enough," Blossom sighed and pushed her hair back again.

"Sorry," Buttercup frowned, but without further argument the three took off across the city in their typical staggered three-part rainbow: green, blue, and finally pink etching their way toward Townsville.

* * *

The scene, upon arriving at the clothing store, was a little less chaotic than the previous day's had been. Police officers patrolled every nook and cranny, searching for even the slightest hint of a clue, but other than their interference it didn't seem too troubled. The manager was far more laid back than the prissy supermarket manager. He was lanky, with greasy black hair and a pale face, but without the disposition to pull off the look. As the girls came closer, Blossom noticed that he seemed to be arguing with the chief.

"Look, Bub, we both know you're just the public face for this. I'm not talkin' to anyone who ain't three feet tall and lookin' like somethin' out of a sci-fi flick," Buttercup cleared her throat, turning all eyes on the Powerpuff Girls. The manager grinned and pushed passed the chief, shaking Buttercup's hand. She kept a stern face, but Blossom saw the corners of her lips twitching. She also noticed the sweat left behind on Buttercup's hand.

"About time! Listen, someone barged in here last night and stole a good five **hundred** dollars worth of clothes! I need some help here!" The chief joined them, glaring at the manager. Buttercup laughed and scratched her head.

"Don't worry! We'll figure this out, so um..." She drifted off into thought, while Blossom drifted off into observation. The dirty tiled floor had clothes strung out on it, and a few racks were knocked over. No fight took place, though they were clearly in a hurry. Was it the same criminals? Blossom turned back to the manager, who was in the middle of answering Buttercup.

"-so that's the story. Couldn't get a clear look on camera, but eh cops say there's no clues and I don't trust 'em. I want you girls to search it over," Buttercup swelled up and nodded, turning to Bubbles with a grin.

"You heard him! Let's check the place out!" The two shot off, leaving Blossom behind. She sighed and crossed her arms. They wouldn't take her advice if she offered it, why bother? The manager glanced at Blossom, sneering before stalking off. Blossom frowned and pushed her hair away from her face again. She was just about to go on another useless search for clues, when a whistle of wind flew overhead, looped back around and landed just outside the store. Blossom glanced up at the newcomers.

"Oh...it's just you," The Rowdyruff Boys floated through the crowd of cops, looking around in fascination at the sheer number of officers. They noticed Blossom and stopped a few feet from her. Butch kept looking around, turned so that his split, dead eye was aimed right at Blossom. She couldn't help but stare at it, her lips twitching. The scar that ran the full length of his face was like a target, pointing right at the useless eye. Brick floated forward, his arms crossed and a slight grin on his face.

"Hey look, it's Her Highness! Sorry to disturb you, Killer, but we're lookin' for the Powerpuff Girls, you know where they are?" Blossom shook her head and pointed toward her sisters. Brick frowned. Blossom could tell he wanted to say more, but as Butch went toward Bubbles, Brick was forced to follow. She watched them go and sighed, turning when the last of the trio approached her.

"Hi...I haven't seen you in a while," She said, taking a deep breath and floating down to the ground. Boomer floated to the floor and stood beside her; she watched the others fly around looking for clues, but noticed that Boomer was staring at her. He had a tendency to do that.

"Yeah, what's up?" Blossom shrugged and pushed her hair out of her face.

"The store was robbed...probably the same people who robbed the supermarket yesterday," Boomer blinked and rubbed his chin.

"The supermarket was robbed?" Blossom shook her head and cracked a smile.

"Yeah, it was on the news all night from what I heard," Boomer blinked and nodded. She knew better than to think he had ever watched the news in his life. Blossom took to the air again, floating around the crime scene with no real destination in mind.

"So who done it?" Another smile cracked Blossom's bleary mood. She glanced back, Boomer hot on her heels. He smiled when their eyes met; she couldn't help smiling a bit brighter.

"We...don't know. Well, I have a hunch, but...nevermind," Blossom looked over at her sisters. Boomer floated closer, a bit too close to her face. Blossom glanced at him, but swallowed and focused in on her sisters again. They weren't finding anything...they weren't going to, it was a clean job. If they were going to find anything, they needed to just look at the tape...surely there was something that would give away the crooks.

"What do you think?" Blossom lowered her head and bit her lip. It never ceased to amaze her. She peeked at Boomer; he stared at her intently wearing a look of intense concentration. He was trying just as hard to figure out the case, bless him. She gestured toward the security cameras.

"I think if we could see a security tape...I don't know maybe I can figure something out..." Boomer beamed and grabbed her hand. Blossom jerked, cringing in his tight grasp. For his part, the Rowdyruff boy didn't seem to notice.

"Then let's go! C'mon!" She started to argue, but he was already dragging her through the store. Blossom caught up with him, trying to pry her hand away from his.

"Boomer, Boomer let go...let go!" It wasn't until they reached the police chief that Boomer finally released her. Blossom winced and rubbed her now sore hand. As she looked up, she met the irritated gaze of the commanding officer. Boomer beamed and put his hands on his hips.

"Hey! Officer, can we see the uh..." He trailed off, turning a slight shade of pink. Blossom giggled, quickly stifled it, and looked up at the chief with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Chief, but could we see the security tapes?" The chief was ready to retort, when the nasally voice of the manager drifted across the crime scene. Clamping his mouth shut, the officer nodded and led them to the security station. It was a cramped little room, probably little more than a glorified closet really. There was a single monitor that connected to the measly two security cameras that guarded the tiny clothing store.

"Alright, here's the tape...I don't know what good this'll do but anything to get that Jackass to shut up," Blossom's lips twitched and Boomer laughed out loud. They hovered in front of the screen, watching the scene play out before them. There were five criminals...two tall, one of about average height, one severely hunched, and the last barely taller than the pint-sized metahumans themselves. A passing look was all Blossom needed to identify the culprits.

"The Gangreen Gang...odd, why in the world are they stealing food and clothes..." She mentally slapped herself, it was a stupid question. The city was still in a state of general disarray, there was no way the dump was as cozy as it may have been before. They were stocking up to wait out the restoration process, obviously. Most of the villains preferred to go into hiding while the city was rebuilt, it was smarter than running around when everyone was on high alert.

"The Gangreen Gang? You're sure?" The chief was giving her an intense, judgmental glare...she was only starting to adjust to the change. Blossom nodded and crossed her arms, pushing her hair away from her face again.

"Yeah, it's definitely them," The three were leaving the security room, the chief giving orders to officers as they went.

"Well...thanks, we'll get on it," Almost like a switch was turned, the other four were suddenly on them. Bubbles hung back with Butch, holding his hand. Brick stood just a bit behind Buttercup, his arms forced into an awkward crossed-arm gesture—his right arm twitched violently every so often, never quite going the way he wanted it to. The leader of the Powerpuff Girls hovered with her arms crossed, glaring at Blossom while simultaneously trying to control a blush.

"Wh-What happened? Did you find something?" Blossom nodded, her more brief explanation interrupted by a very excited Rowdyruff boy.

"We found the crooks! It's the Green Gang! Blossom just took one look at the movie and bam! She knew who it was!" Buttercup flushed a bit darker, shooting a look at Blossom, who only shrugged and nodded.

"It was the Gangreen Gang...both times, I..." Blossom closed her eyes and took a deep breath, slowly counting to ten. She opened her eyes and faced Buttercup with a little more assertion, "I'm sure of it," Buttercup nodded and looked at Brick and Butch.

"Sorry, we'll talk to you guys later. We need to handle this," Brick frowned and uncrossed his arms, steadying his trembling right arm.

"We can go-" Buttercup shook her head, and took off. Bubbles leaned close to Butch and pulled away giggling. She flew after her sister while his face turned red. Blossom found herself alone with two irate and hostile Rowdyruff boys. Shaking her head, she shot off into the air. She just barely heard Boomer crying "Good luck!" after her. Soon it was repeating in her head; she couldn't help smiling.

* * *

As they flew over the Townsville dump, the girls were amazed to how full it was in just two short months of being rebuilt. Less surprising, they found a newly constructed wooden shack, a bit larger than the last one, deep within the winding maze of refuse. Another surprise stood just outside the shack, a small group of kids—ranging from a bit older than the girls to early teens—talking with a tall, green-skinned teen with sunglasses. The girls landed behind him, in attack formation.

"Hold it, Gangreen Gang! We know you did it, so give yourselves up!" The newcomers gasped and seemed torn between fight and flight. Stranger, none of them had the typical pale disposition the other Gangreen members had. Ace turned around, shocking them all by holding up his hands.

"Alright, alright...you caught me fair and square, Buttercup. Look, I can explain," Blossom rolled her eyes, but wisely kept her mouth shut. Ace always had an excuse, he could always explain. And more often than not...Buttercup was willing to taste whatever line he fed them. Just as she expected, Buttercup sighed and shifted her hands to her hips.

"Okay, but make it quick," Ace smiled and pushed his sunglasses up, covering his dull gray eyes. Blossom sighed and looked away, not bothering to deal with her unruly long hair. She wasn't interested in his excuse; if she had still been in charge they wouldn't even be listening to it. He'd be in jail, roughed up a little to help him remember to obey the law next time.

"Look, we were just gettin' some food and clothes for the new recruits alright? We didn't take any more than we needed," Buttercup looked passed the leader, sizing up the so-called new recruits. Blossom peered through the curtain of her hair, unimpressed by the new members. Most seemed to be just kids.

"Why do you have new recruits? They aren't even...you know," Blossom closed her eyes, taking slow ten second breaths. She heard Ace chuckle and shift in his place.

"Well um...a lot happened after that whole, you know," He cleared his throat; suddenly, Blossom felt several eyes on her. She did her best to ignore them, counting to twenty this time.

* * *

"Um yeah...but wh...Mitch? Is that you?" Blossom's eyes cracked open, a look of confusion spreading over her face. Just as Buttercup had said, there was Mitch Mitchellson standing amongst the crowd of new Gangreens. The disheveled, brunet boy glowered but nodded.

"Hey," He mumbled, shuffling his feet. Bubbles gasped, and Buttercup shifted uncomfortably. She turned to Ace for an answer. The gang leader laughed and shrugged.

"Well uh...you see, these kids they uh...they don't got no one else, so. Well, we kinda took 'em in, y'know? Some of 'em got brothers and sisters they're takin' care of. So we just needed to get 'em some food and some clothes! They ain't got parents to look after 'em," Blossom heard a small sob; his story had Bubbles in tears. She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. She felt a rush of anxiety as she opened her mouth, expecting Buttercup to cut her off. She almost wished she had.

"The entire city is a welfare state. There are plenty of legal alternatives to joining a street gang. The second orphanage just opened-"

"I ain't goin' to no damned orphanage!" The sudden shout cut her off. Ace whipped around, trying to calm the sudden rage spreading through the enlarged Gangreen Gang. When he turned back around, he wore a similar look of distaste as he glared at Blossom.

"Yeah, well some people don't wanna be just a number kid...you know what that's like, huh?" Blossom flinched and looked away, clenching her fists tightly. Even criminals...Buttercup cleared her throat and floated to the group of teens and kids. She turned to Mitch and swallowed hard.

"So what...what happened?" Mitch crossed his arms tight and glared at the ground.

"My...grandma got killed by one of those...things," One of Aku's minions no doubt. Ninja-garbed demonic creatures...powerful, loyal, fairly intelligent. They were good minions.

"Look, just let the kids go, you can take me in. Alright, sound fair?" Ace asked, smiling sheepishly. Blossom glanced at the other kids—where were the other Gangreen members—and back at Ace. They couldn't do that, they had to at least report the others for their involvement.

"No way! Ace you're eighteen now! You'll go to jail!" Ace swallowed nervously and chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. That was right...Ace had just recently had a birthday. If they arrested him now it was a one-stop trip straight to prison. Blossom clenched her fists. Blossom looked up in shock when Buttercup spoke.

"Okay...look, I. Well I could get in trouble for this, but...just don't let us catch you, alright? If we do, you're going to jail. But...this doesn't, I mean you're just trying to help these...okay? You get me?" Ace stared at Buttercup in awe, Blossom stared at her brimming with fury. How could they just let the criminals go? There were alternatives...there were other ways these kids could get help! They just...Blossom recognized her sister's gesture. They were leaving. She chanced one final glance at the new Gangreen Gang, one last thought crossing her mind.

"Who attacked you?" Blossom asked. Ace crossed his arms and snorted. Blossom glowered and turned around to face him, "If you won't cooperate..." The sound of Bubbles and Buttercup's flight was getting dimmer. Ace seemed to realize his situation, so he conceded and gave Blossom a glare.

"An old broad with a score to settle. That's all I'm sayin'," Blossom wasn't happy with the answer, but it was all she needed to know. With another glare, she shot off after her sisters. There were voices in her wake...she tried to block them out. Soon they were all she could hear.

* * *

She had planned on confronting Buttercup, planned to yell and scream and insult her for her decision. She wanted nothing more than to just berate her sister for her idiocy. By the time Blossom touched down on the front step, her fire was gone to ash. Not even an ember remained. She entered without a word, shuffled upstairs without a glance at the others. When she shut the door to her room and staggered through the darkness to her bed, she collapsed completely.

Laid out on her back, staring up at the plain white ceiling, Blossom rubbed her wrist. The weight was coming back, crushing her, pressing her into the white sheets. Her eyelids felt heavy...more than even her strength could handle. Blossom rolled over and crawled to her pillow. Grasping her secret doll tight to her chest, she closed her eyes, ready for the day to be over.


	30. August 5th, 2001

**August 5th, 2001**

**Patient Name: Blossom Utonium**

_ This is Dr. Irena Elise reporting on patient Blossom Utonium. Patient is seven years old, former leader of the crime-fighting team, the Powerpuff Girls, and considered to be the most powerful meta-human on the planet. Patient is a child, but exhibits adult mental abilities and maturity. Blossom has been meeting with me since the end of June, in response to her actions while being controlled by the supernatural monster, Aku. _

_ Patient seems to be suffering extreme depression and Stockholm Syndrome in regards to her captor. We haven't made progress in overcoming her connection to the monster...but I seem to be making a connection with her. Here's hoping this session is more productive than the last..._

"Good afternoon Blossom,"

"Hey, Dr. Elise..."

"How have you been since I last saw you? It's been...three weeks?"

"Yes, three weeks...I'm fine, Doctor,"

"You seem tense...is something wrong?"

"No of course not, why would something be wrong? Everything is perfectly fine...just fine, why in the world would something be wrong?"

"Blossom...yelling isn't helping,"

"I know...I know, I'm sorry...I had a fight with Buttercup this morning, alright? That's all..."

"Tell me about it,"

"I...It's nothing important,"

"I would still like to hear about it, if you don't mind?"

"Alright...okay...I just can't believe her! She let the Gangreen Gang get away with robbing all of those stores! She just let them go without ever a slap on the wrist! I would **never** do that!"

"Buttercup let some criminals go? Why is that?"

"They...they were stealing to get some food for these orphans. I know! I know! It sounds like they were doing good, but it was bad! They were still stealing! There is an orphanage! There's the Salvation Army! There are so many ways they could have gotten help within the confines of the law!"

"That's right...why do you think Buttercup let them go?"

"She's always had this...this thing for Ace! Even after he tried to kill Bubbles and me, she's always given him special treatment!"

"I see...what would you have done?"

"I would have taken them to jail! And if they resisted or Ace tried to sweet talk his way out, I wouldn't have been fooled! I would have done the right thing! I would have put Ace in jail and sent the others to a juvenile detention center!"

"I see, that sounds reasonable. They were breaking the law. So what did you say to Buttercup?"

"I just...I told her she was being irresponsible...that she shouldn't have let her personal feelings get in the way of the law! I...I told her she should listen to me once in a while..."

"What do you mean?"

"Buttercup never takes my advice, even when I'm right—and I'm almost always right!"

"That's a bit arrogant, don't you think?"

"W-Well...well maybe b-but...but it's true! She should listen to me, I know what I'm talking about!"

"I see...Blossom how are things at home? You and Buttercup are still fighting, what about you and Bubbles?"

"...I don't think I've talked to Bubbles since...since that day,"

"Why is that?"

"She always gets scared when we're alone; she always runs out of the room or hides behind Buttercup. She just...she won't even talk to me..."

"I'm sorry to hear that...why do you think that is?'

"...I...I think I know, but I don't want to talk about it,"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!"

"Alright, settle down...what about your father?"

"The Professor...he won't look at me anymore. He pretends to, but I'm not stupid. I know he's not looking right at me! He's always looking passed me...he never talks to me, just at me! He thinks I can't tell, but I can!"

"Is there anything different at home?"

"Ms. Keane stops by a lot...but she's been coming by ever since...that day. She and the Professor are dating again, but at least it's not as bad as it was before,"

"Oh I see, so how do you feel about Ms. Keane being around?"

"...She's the only one who really talks to me. She's the only one who really...looks at me anymore. I like it when she's around,"

"That's good...do you tell her how you're feeling?"

"...No, sometimes she comes and sits beside me when she thinks I'm asleep...but I never talk to her about...things,"

"So I take it you're still sleeping a lot?"

"Yeah...I try to read books or something but...I just want to sleep...why does Buttercup care?! We don't even share a room now!"

"That's right, you have your own room now. How did that happen?"

"Buttercup...said that she wouldn't share a room with me anymore...the same day I woke up from being sick. Bubbles didn't say anything but...Buttercup just got so mad and, well...I moved into the guest room so there wouldn't be any fighting..."

"How did you really feel about it?"

"I was...upset but...I didn't really want to be around them. I still don't...not if they don't want to be around me. I don't need them! I..."

"What do you need then? You seem very angry today...how often do you feel angry?"

"...Every so often...I guess...I mostly just feel, just feel heavy and...and like I want to cry all the time,"

"Uh huh..Blossom why are you really upset?"

"...I can't tell you,"

"Why not Blossom? You know I won't tell anyone, I'm not allowed to,"

"Because you wouldn't understand!"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you're just a h...you're...because you're normal..."

"That's not what you were going to say, what did you really want to say? Because I'm a human?"

"..."

"You're saying...you aren't human?"

"Of...of course not...look at me...I'm not a human...I'm..."

"What are you Blossom?"

"...I'm a freak,"

"Blossom..."

"I am...I'm a freak, and you know it! You're just like everyone else! They think I'm stupid, everyone thinks I'm too stupid to see it! But, I'm not! I'm not stupid! I know how they look at me! I know they all hate me!"

"Blossom! Settle down, Sweetie! You're not stupid...and I don't think you're a freak,"

"Yes you do...you're...you're trying to fix me! You're trying to make me normal...I don't want to be normal! I don't want you to fix me!"

"I'm not trying to fix you, Blossom...I just want to help you. I want to see you smile again,"

"..."

"That's better...now...we've run over our time. Blossom, it was very, very nice to see you again. I hope you remember what we discussed,"

"Uh huh...practice deep breathing when I feel myself getting angry,"

"That's right, has it been helping?"

"I th...I think so. Yes, yes it has definitely been helping,"

"Very good! Now, take care of yourself. I'll see you next week,"

"Okay...thank you Dr. Elise,"


	31. A Murder of Five

"_**I wanted the ocean to cover over me**_

_**I wanna sink slowly without getting wet**_

_**Maybe someday, I won't be so lonely**_

_**And I'll walk on water every chance I get "**_

**Time and Time Again (Counting Crows "August and Everything After")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 3**

* * *

The lights were all off, draping the white room in a sheet of darkness. Though it was the beginning of August, it was still scorching outside. Yet, somehow the room remained uncomfortably cold. Or maybe it wasn't the room that was so icy...Blossom laid curled up in her blankets, staring at the far wall. She'd woken up only moments ago...already she wished she could fall asleep once more. Her arm hung off the bed, the other clutched her doll to her chest. It almost took the edge off the cold room.

Her meeting with Dr. Elise had gone longer than usual...Buttercup and Bubbles were gone by the time she and the Professor got home. Blossom immediately retreated to her room, her anger had drained her of any energy she had for the day ahead. Falling asleep had proven to be more difficult than she'd have liked. Waking up just now had been surreal. As if she'd never fallen asleep to begin with. Blossom looked up with a jerk when a knock came at the door.

"Blossom? You're needed downstairs," Blossom sighed and threw her book across the room. That roughly translated to 'Come save Buttercup, she's stuck', which never ended well for her. Blossom dragged her feet as she left her room and shuffled downstairs,

"So what did you tell the crazy doctor?" Buttercup jeered the moment Blossom walked into the living room. The Professor groaned and Blossom bristled, her fists clenched and her eyes narrowed. Buttercup was in a really bad mood, apparently, she didn't waste any time attacking Blossom.

"Doctor Elise isn't a crazy doctor, she's a psychiatrist! And what I talked to her about is none of your concern!" Blossom stuck her nose up and crossed her arms, turning to go back to her room. She stopped at the bottom step, turning to glance at Bubbles, who was sitting in the kitchen. Bubbles looked up and the two made eye contact. Instantly, Bubbles looked away, turning to Ms. Keane—the school teacher was sitting at the table coloring with her. Blossom sighed and started up the stairs, but Buttercup cut her off, clearing her throat noisily.

"We got a call while you were asleep," Blossom froze and turned to Buttercup. Her look of surprise quickly became a glare.

"Let me guess, you didn't find anything, right? No green fingerprints, or slimy footprints, right?" Buttercup looked away; she was trying to hide her blush, but Blossom could still see it. It gave her no sense of satisfaction...if anything it made her even more angry.

"The Gangreen Gang had nothing to do with this! I...I asked...listen I don't know who it was, but they were way better than the Gangreen Gang! Alright!? We didn't find any clues at all! Even with the Rowdyruff Boys helping us!" Buttercup was red in the face, not just from embarrassment this time. She was furious, Blossom thought, watching her sister grind her teeth and clench her fists. She smirked proudly and leered at Buttercup. She didn't intend to say anything but-

"What's wrong? You're the leader, can't you do anything without me?" She shouldn't have said it, she should have just kept her mouth shut. But the words just came out...and they felt good. Blossom couldn't help cracking a slight grin at the look of explosive fury on Buttercup's face. The Professor took that moment to come between them.

"That's enough girls, you have more important things to do than fight each other. Now, you need to try to figure this crime out. Come on! Let's go," Blossom and Buttercup traded another glare, but followed their father into the kitchen. Blossom paused at the chair next to Bubbles, then kept going and sat across from her. Bubbles glanced up, then scooted her chair closer to Buttercup once she was sat down as well. Blossom sighed and rested her cheek on her mitt. Buttercup sighed and crossed her arms, staring at the table. Ms. Keane looked at the three, then rolled her yes and sat up straight.

"Alright, now why don't you tell Blossom what happened and we'll see if she has any ideas?" Blossom's lips twitched. Buttercup groaned and nodded.

"Okay...okay...it was really weird. I knew it wasn't the Gangreen Gang! They wouldn't rob a laboratory! They wouldn't know what to do with that stuff..." Blossom blinked and rubbed her chin. Frustrated, she hit her hair away from her face.

"What was stolen?" Buttercup closed her eyes. Blossom watched her, but occasionally glanced at Bubbles. Bubbles had her head down, her mouth shut...but every so often her eyes flashed at Blossom. Once they made eye contact, though, Bubbles stopped this practice entirely. Blossom sighed and slouched in her seat. She turned to Buttercup and glared...what was taking so long?

"Oh come on! What was it already? It can't be that hard to remember!" Buttercup fumbled nervously and gave her a glare. Ms. Keane cleared her throat and the two looked away from each other.

"It was some kind of a...a ray gun I think...molecular...I don't know! Alright?! I don't know science junk, I just know the guy in charge was freaking out! Now do you have any ideas or not!?" This time, Blossom managed to avoid a more arrogant response. She nodded and rubbed her chin.

"I've got an idea, but I don't know how easy it will be to find her..." Bubbles finally perked up, and Buttercup looked shocked that Blossom already knew the answer.

"W-What? Really? How do you know?" Blossom leaned back, staring at the ceiling as she spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yesterday, when you flew away, I asked Ace who it was that fought the Gangreen Gang at the supermarket. Ace told me that it was a woman who had a reason to want revenge on the gang...now, while it's logical to assume that a good many number of women aren't pleased with the Gangreen Gang, there is only one woman they've wronged who would have the ability to both fight them all and escape from the scene of the crime without a trace," Blossom smirked and crossed her arms, "And that woman is Sedusa," A loud gasp broke everyone's concentration. The Powerpuff Girls turned to Ms. Keane, who looked as if she'd seen a ghost or a mouse. Ms. Keane forced a fake smile and waved at the girls.

"I'm sorry, don't mind me...go on, Blossom," Still, Blossom couldn't help giving Ms. Keane a longer look, even when Buttercup and Bubbles had turned their focus to the details of tracking down the cat burglar.

"Great...she's never easy to find. Where do you think she went?" Buttercup asked in a low voice. Bubbles shrugged.

"I don't know...we don't have any clues at all," Blossom grimaced. Bubbles was right. They knew who it was and relatively knew what had been stolen...but there was no discernible pattern to the crimes. There was no trail left behind to follow; Sedusa was playing at the top of her game right now. Blossom blinked and closed her eyes. Was there no discernible pattern? She was robbing a different store every night...first food, then clothes, and then a laboratory. The third didn't fit the pattern, it just seemed to be out of nowhere. Maybe, she was trying to disguise her real ploy? Blossom slowly smiled and snapped her mitt. Buttercup and Bubbles jumped and looked at her.

"I think I have an idea," Blossom threw her hair back and looked down at her mitt, going over a mental map of Townsville...unfortunately her visualization skills weren't the greatest in town...

"Bubbles," Bubbles squeaked and sat up straight, swallowing nervously. Blossom continued undeterred, "If there was a triangle drawn on top of Townsville...and one point was at the supermarket, and another point was at the clothes store...where would the third point be?" If she was right it should be...

"Um...it would be at the lab place..." Bubbles replied meekly, looking up at Ms. Keane the whole time. Ms. Keane thought for a moment and nodded.

"That's right..." Blossom got up and grabbed a piece of paper, then passed it to Bubbles with a crayon.

"Draw the triangle," Bubbles stared at the crayon being held out to her. She glanced at Buttercup for support, but Buttercup just nodded in agreement. Bubbles took the crayon and drew a quick sketch. Blossom snatched the sketch as she finished the last line and looked at it. Biting her tongue, she rushed out of the room.

"Hey wait! Where are you going?!" Blossom dug around in a drawer in the living room, grinning when she found her prize: a map of Townsville. She flung it open and laid the picture Bubbles had drawn on top of it. Carefully adjusting the angles, and using just enough X-Ray vision to see through the paper, Blossom grinned. She looked up as Ms. Keane and Buttercup joined her. Bubbles lingered back, hand on her mouth.

"Ha! I was right!" Like always, she added silently in her head. Blossom pointed to the map, her eyes still glowing green.

"You can't see it Ms. Keane, but there is a building exactly in the center of the triangle formed by the three that were robbed. I'm willing to bet Sedusa really wanted to rob the laboratory, but to make it look more like a random string of robberies, she robbed the other two places to throw us off! Unfortunately, since the police are more active right now, she didn't have a lot of time to escape, so she picked locations near her hideout!" Ms. Keane smiled and knelt down, looking at the map.

"Hm...that's strange...it's the water treatment plant. I don't know what she'd be doing there," Blossom nodded. It was a strange hideout for Sedusa...but it was the best lead they had. She stood up and started to give orders. She caught sight of the look in Buttercup's eye and backed off begrudgingly. Buttercup cleared her throat and looked down at the map.

"Alright...so let's go get her! I'm sure she won't be expecting us!" Blossom and Bubbles nodded, and together they shot off into the city.

* * *

The girls arrived at the water treatment plant in no time at all. The plant was running quietly...most of the workers had already gone home. Still, there was an odd since of foreboding in the air. Blossom narrowed her eyes; something was definitely out of place. The Powerpuff Girls floated around nervously...Blossom rubbed her wrist and gave it a sharp glare. She noticed that her sisters were getting ahead and quickly flew to catch up with them.

"See anything?" She asked. Buttercup shook her head and stopped. She glanced at Bubbles and both started peeking around with their X-Ray vision. Blossom shook her head and crossed her arms. Where would Sedusa be hiding in this place?

Just as that thought crossed her mind, the lights all went out, drowning the treatment plant in total darkness. The girls gasped and huddled closer together. Three pairs of eyes light up in bright colors, peering through the darkness. A sultry, maniacal laugh rang out.

"Oh Powerpuff Girls...I never thought I'd see you again! But I knew you would come...why don't we play a game? Come and find me...and the Molecular Polarizer is all yours!" Sedusa cackled wildly again. Buttercup moved away from the fold; Bubbles bumped into Blossom and quickly followed after Buttercup.

"Hold it Sedusa! We aren't playing your stupid game! Get out here so we can kick your butt!" Buttercup cried.

"Yeah! You shouldn't steal when so many people don't have anything right now!" Bubbles called. Sedusa laughed again, and a trail of lights came on...leading them deeper into the facility. The girls looked at each other. Buttercup shrugged and started into the darkness. Blossom slapped her forehead, but realizing they had no other option...followed her sisters. The lights led down a spiral staircase that went deeper and deeper beneath the ground. Bubbles piped up as the sound of running water echoed in the tunnel.

"Wow! I wonder how deep we're going?"

"Shut up Bubbles," Buttercup was tense, Blossom thought. Chuckling softly, she reached for her sister. Blossom froze—they all froze—as they entered a wide, dimly lit chamber. There sat Sedusa...her skin a sickly shade of green, her hair writhing with newfound life. She was completely naked, and her once seductive green eyes now looked...poisonous.

"So nice of you to join me...I was starting to feel...lonely," Sedusa narrowed her eyes...they began to grow a wicked shade of green...a familiar shade of green.


	32. A Murder of Six

"_**Get away from me, just get away from me**_

_**This isn't going to be easy, but I don't need you**_

_**Believe me, you got a piece of me, but it's just a little piece of me**_

_**And I don't need anyone"**_

**Have You Seen Me Lately (Counting Crows "Recovering the Satellites")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Sedusa slid from the single wooden chair she was reclined in. Blossom tensed, just managing to will herself to stay rooted in place. With a nervous swallow, she rubbed her wrist and glared at Buttercup. Their fearless leader looked just as horrified as her sisters. As the seductress stalked closer, her eyes glowed brighter. Blossom clenched her fists. There was no mistaking that light...

"What's wrong? You girls don't sound so brave now..." Sedusa stopped, but her hair kept moving, writhing with the same unnatural life it had always seemed to possess. Somehow, it seemed different, truly alive this time. Blossom kept her eyes on Sedusa, but elbowed Buttercup as hard as she could. Buttercup hissed and rubbed her arm, but wisely kept her scowl aimed at the villainess.

"The game is over, Sedusa! You're coming with us, no more robberies!" Sedusa giggled. The sound was a high-pitched hiss, snake-like and monstrous. Blossom shivered and instinctively shifted into a fighting stance. If she had correctly identified the glow in Sedusa's eyes—and there was no doubt that she had—it wouldn't make much difference. In her current state...she was just going to get in the way.

"Oh no, girls. The game is just getting started," She grinned, revealing sharp fangs. She clenched her fists; Blossom stared at her claws, gleaming in the dull light. Bubbles took a step back and raised her mitts.

"W-What do you mean?" Buttercup stepped forward and glared. A shift, so subtle that only the girls themselves could feel it, passed through the air. Buttercup was powering up...Blossom grit her teeth. It wasn't enough. Sedusa could regularly give them trouble in their weakened states, now though...

"Enough talk! Hand over the science thingie and come to jail quietly!" Sedusa narrowed her eyes. Blossom's eyes widened.

"Look out!" It took every ounce of her strength, but she just barely managed to tackle Buttercup and Bubbles away from the green glow that erupted from Sedusa's eyes. Turning, Blossom couldn't find any visible change in the stone floor, but she wasn't about to take any chances.

"Don't let that attack hit you!" Buttercup growled and the three scattered, avoiding another green blast. It collided with a pipe in the wall and bounced off, nearly hitting Bubbles. Thankfully, she managed to duck just in time. Sedusa grinned and shook her head, snickering as her hair snapped angrily.

"My, my, even near impotent you still manage to be such a thorn, don't you, Blossom?" Buttercup shot forward, throwing a punch at Sedusa. A lock of her hair shot out and snatched Buttercup, hurtling her across the chamber, into a control panel. Buttercup bounced off and landed, sparks in her wake. She quickly dodged a blast of green light. Blossom hung back, but Bubbles shot forward. She dodged a strand of hair, only to be caught by a vicious open-handed strike. To the girls' shock, Bubbles was sent careening through a solid stone wall.

"Woah! H-How did you do that?!" Sedusa licked her fingers and turned to Buttercup with a sneer; though she turned, she made certain that she could see Blossom from the corner of her eye.

"You haven't noticed anything...different? I'm sort of a big deal now...no more weak little thief. No, Buttercup...I'm a monster now!" Like a dam breaking, Sedusa rushed forward and swung wildly at Buttercup. Any blows that missed tore apart whatever they hit, be it concrete or steel. The blows that hit, however, rocked Buttercup's world. It wasn't long before she was forced to retreat and regroup with her sisters.

"What the...how is she this strong? Sedusa doesn't have super strength!" Bubbles whimpered and rubbed her cheek. There were three long claw marks running the length of her cheek, slowly bleeding. Blossom spared only a passing glance at her sisters.

"She...somehow, she has Chemical X in her. I don't know how she got it but...it's making her much stronger," Sedusa laughed and clapped, advancing on them once again, emphasizing the sway of her hips with long, slow strides.

"How very clever! Oh, leave it up to Blossom to figure it out! Yes...I have been given a rather generous dose of Chemical X...and not that trash your father likes to call Chemical X. No, what I'm pumping is the real deal...the good stuff!" The girls gasped. Blossom looked at Bubbles and Buttercup; she could almost see the severity of the situation setting in on them.

"R-Real Chemic...you mean...h-how?! There isn't any more!" Buttercup shouted, suddenly distraught. Even Blossom was shocked at just how angry Buttercup looked.

"That is my little secret, girls...now let's try this again, shall we?" Blossom wanted to shout scramble. She wanted to give some kind of order, but all that came out was a strangled gasp as Sedusa knocked her aside, sending her crashing through the metal stairs. Blossom groaned and wiped away a trickle of blood. Dizzy though she was, she could hear the fight taking place behind her. Bubbles was hit, then Buttercup must have made a mad dash because soon the two screamed and crashed into the wall near her. Blossom climbed to her feet and spun around, panting and glaring at her wrist.

'I could help so much more if I could just-' Her trail of thought cut off, she sharply flew to the side to avoid a slash from Sedusa's hair. To her horror, Blossom came face to face with a wall of green light. Something rammed into her side and knocked her away.

"Stay focused! I can't keep saving you, you know!" Buttercup barked, rushing at Sedusa again. Blossom glared at her and climbed to her feet again. It was no use, the amount of power her sisters were using just couldn't keep up with this new monster Sedusa. She managed to bat them away time after time. Rushing forward, Blossom blew a wave of ice breath at Sedusa. She screamed and threw her hands over her face. The girls stood back, staring at the giant block of ice and trying to catch their breaths.

"D-Did we get her?" Bubbles asked. Blossom glowered; she had stopped Sedusa, they had just gotten themselves knocked around. Before any argument could take place, the ice block shattered and a rather irate Sedusa started toward the Powerpuff Girls once again.

"Th-Th-That w-w-wasn't...f-f-funny..." Sedusa shook her head and took a deep breath, "You know girls...you haven't even tried out my new power!" The girls took to the air as a wave of green light shot beneath them. Sedusa snarled and fired back at them. This time, the girls weren't so lucky. The edge of the green light brushed against the end of Bubbles' pigtail...instantly turning it to stone. Bubbles screamed, her hair suddenly heavier, and held it up in shock.

"M-My hair!" Sedusa cackled and grinned.

"How do you like it? I think it's fitting, don't you?" Bubbles was overcome with a look of rage, one that went unheeded. More bursts of green light forced the girls back into the Water Treatment Plant, the lights still out save for the trail leading to the thief-turned-monster.

"How in the world did she get Chemical X!? How in the world is she this strong?!" Buttercup shouted. Blossom whipped around and glared at her.

"Why in the world are you holding back!? If you two started TRYING you could beat her easily!" Buttercup growled and jabbed Blossom in the shoulder, nearly knocking her to the ground.

"Because we aren't supposed to! The Professor said we wouldn't need to use that much power again!" Blossom rubbed her shoulder and growled. Footsteps interrupted the coming argument, as did Bubbles' sudden yelp.

"Look out!" Without thinking, the two scrambled. The blow that had been aimed at them tore the ground open, leaving behind a small crater. They heard a gasp and all eyes turned to the newcomer. Sedusa froze, her vicious demeanor fading. The Powerpuff Girls were just as stunned to see their old teacher staring at the thief with the same expression.

"A...Abby?" Ms. Keane asked, her voice just barely a whisper. Sedusa swallowed and took a step back, her hair writhing.

"C-Cassie? W-What are you doing here?" Ms. Keane stumbled through the dark room. Bubbles shrieked.

"No Ms. Keane! Stay away from her!" Blossom looked back and forth between them, her eyes wide. Had they met? When could they have possibly known each other? Maybe from school...to everyone's shock, Ms. Keane lightly touched Sedusa's cheek. The taller woman hissed and pulled back.

"Abby what happened to you?" Sedusa smirked and ran a hand shamelessly across her bare chest. Blossom inched closer, trading a glance with her sisters. Whatever was going on, it was at least providing a distraction they could really use.

"Nothing that concerns you, Cassie. I...why are you here?" Ms. Keane narrowed her eyes, snatching Sedusa's wrist when she tried to retreat again. The girls tensed up, expecting the villainess to lash out. To their shock, she stayed where she was.

"I was worried...about the girls and about you," That did it, Sedusa jerked her arm away from Ms. Keane. She swallowed, her hair snapping at the air wildly.

"I'm not a child anymore! I don't need you looking after me! Especially..." Sedusa's eyes began to glow bright green again, "Especially now! I don't need you! I don't need James! I don't need Sara!" It was Ms. Keane's turn to back away, Sedusa's hair was snapping haphazardly, indiscriminately. The look on her face, it was a kind of hurt that the girls had never seen on her before. It was oddly familiar. Ms. Keane sighed and rubbed her arm.

"Abby, don't do this..." Sedusa flinched and looked away. There was a look of intensity on her face...she almost looked like she was in pain. The light coming from her eyes suddenly became brighter. Blossom perked up; she swore she heard a switch somewhere. She completely forgot about the sound and stared in awe at Sedusa. She had become encased in a bright green glow. Sedusa snarled and slashed at the floor. It tore open and she fell through it, falling into the sewers below the plant. The four ran to the hole and stared at it. The light was quickly fading.

"Girls you have to find her! Please, before she gets hurt!" Ms. Keane grabbed Buttercup and Blossom's hands. Blossom looked down at the hole, while Bubbles asked the question on everyone's mind.

"Ms. Keane...how do you know Sedusa?" Ms. Keane wiped her eyes, it was only now that the girls realized she was crying.

"...She's my little sister! Sedusa...please, just save her! I promise I'll explain better later, but she needs you now!" Blossom gasped, staring at Ms. Keane in horror. Sedusa...was Ms. Keane's sister? How was that even possible?! What...what could have possibly happened to turn her into...into the person she was now? Buttercup's voice broke her train of thought.

"Right! C'mon let's get her!" Blossom grabbed Ms. Keane's arm.

"Ms. Keane! Please, take this off me! I can't fight her like this!" Unfortunately, she was met with two pairs of sad eyes, and one pair of angry eyes.

"No way! We can't trust you!" Blossom spun and faced Buttercup, on the verge of hitting her. So close...so very close to lashing out. It would feel so wonderful, so just hit her one more time. Just one more time...

"Blossom, I'm sorry, but Professor Utonium says you have to wear that for now. Don't worry, your sisters will be with you," Blossom glared at Ms. Keane, but nodded obediently and followed her sisters down the hole. It seemed to go for miles, deeper than the stairs, down into the wreckage of the old Townsville sewer system. Buttercup looked around, gritting her teeth.

"Okay...okay! We'll split up! If you see her, scream!" Bubbles nodded and flew off on her own.

"You're trying to get me hurt...you're jealous that I'm a better leader than you'll ever be! Aren't you!?"

"I'm not jealous of you! I would never be jealous of a f...of someone who betrayed us the way you did!"

"You know I can't fight her! I can barely fight at all now! You just can't deal with me being smarter and stronger than you!"

"I am not jealous of you!!" The scream hung in the air...echoing off the stone sewer walls. By the time it faded, the two had parted ways, Blossom flying as fast as she could. She didn't even care if she found Sedusa, she just wanted distance between Buttercup and herself. She flew fast, turning randomly, not even realizing just how dark it was getting until she came to an abrupt halt in a pitch black chamber. Blossom panted and looked around. Her eyes started to glow until-

"Ah, ah, ah...don't do that...you'll ruin the moment," Blossom stopped breathing, and quickly shut off her X-Ray vision. Sedusa giggled, a wicked hiss. Her voice sounded even more monstrous...Blossom could hear something slithering in the darkness around her.

"S-Sedusa show yourself...I'm...I'm here to take you in!" Blossom whispered. Her throat was dry...she could barely hear over her heart pounding in her chest. Sedusa giggled again; Blossom spun around, hearing something slither behind her.

"You were supposed to scream...why didn't you?" Blossom took a step back and gave a breathless scream—little more than a harsh gasp—when she ran into something...something big. There was a frantic slither above her and another laugh.

"I...I can...I don't need..."

"That's right...you don't need Buttercup...you don't need Bubbles either...I would have never believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes..." Blossom swallowed and turned toward the voice. At the same time something brushed against her side.

"What do you mean? S-saw what?"

"Why...I saw the face of God...an evil...evil God...so beautiful...and oh so very powerful," Blossom's heart stopped and her blood ran cold. She stared wide-eyed into the darkness.

"G-God..."

"You...dearest Blossom...you are a god, aren't you?"

"I...they said...it was just..." Blossom went rigid. Lithe, sharp fingers trailed up her arms. Hot breath blew against her neck.

"Where is he? Where is your god now?"

"I haven't...haven't seen him since...since that day...Buttercup...I think she..." Blossom's lips trembled, a tear trickling down her cheek. Soft hands rubbed her arms, a gentle voice shushing her.

"There, there...you have to be strong...you see, you may not realize it. But, Blossom...there are some people...who...believed in you," Blossom started to speak, but a breathy laugh cut her off, "No...not Powerpuff Blossom...some people believed in...that Blossom," Her mouth fell open. She trembled, her knees knocking together as Sedusa's warm lips touched her neck.

"I believe in you...even now...so please, just let me go. No one will ever have to know. I certainly won't tell on you...just let me...disappear..." Blossom whimpered as Sedusa's lips gently tickled her ear. Her tongue flicked across Blossom's cold skin, "My...Goddesssssss..." Blossom clenched her eyes shut and grit her teeth.

"I...I can't just let you go..."

* * *

Blossom groaned and stared dizzily up at the ceiling. Light now flooded the water treatment plant. She could vaguely hear Buttercup ranting and cursing that Sedusa got away...she could also hear someone crying. Her first instinct was to think of Bubbles, but it was actually Ms. Keane. Blossom winced and sat up, grabbing her chest. Three bloody claw marks ran across her body...they were still bleeding.

"Blossom!" Ms. Keane knelt down next to her, helping her sit up. Blossom hissed and held her chest, climbing to her feet. Buttercup stopped complaining to the Chief of Police and turned to her sister. The fire in Blossom's eyes...it was enough to chill Buttercup, even now. Blossom took a few weak steps forward and jabbed Buttercup in the shoulder.

"You...this is your fault...I told you...I told you I can't fight like this! I can't k-keep up with supervillains anymore and it's all YOUR FAULT!" Blossom crumbled, a few tears trickling down her cheeks. She pulled away from Ms. Keane and Professor Utonium—she hadn't even noticed the latter arrive, and left the group. She had one thought on her mind...she wanted her bed, her safe, warm bed and she wanted her secret doll. That was the only way to see him anymore...and she wanted to sleep for a very, very long time.


	33. August 12th, 2001

**August 12th, 2001**

**Patient Name: Blossom Utonium**

_ This is Dr. Irena Elise once again reporting on patient Blossom Utonium. In the several sessions we've had, I've noticed something very interesting about Blossom. The patient seems to be struggling to reconcile the child she is with the adult she wants to be. It seems that the child in Blossom is angry about the way things have turned out...perhaps feeling betrayed by her captor for vanishing so suddenly. She is aggressive and hostile; it is very hard to work with her in this state. It seems to work better to simply let her vent, rather than offer anything in the way of advice._

_ Then there are other times...she comes into my office like a ghost. She barely speaks, she seems on the verge of tears the entire time. The adult in Blossom, the part that appeared to have fallen in love with Aku, feels betrayed and abandoned. This Blossom is more receptive...though I'll admit it is still unnerving helping a child deal with such adult issues..._

"Good afternoon Blossom! How was your week?"

"...It was alright, I guess."

"Come here, sit down...what's wrong, Sweetie?"

"Nothing...I'm just tired."

"Really? That's strange, you've had a slow week haven't you?"

"...Yeah I guess so."

"I thought you'd be more excited, you're starting first grade tomorrow aren't you?"

"Yeah...yeah I am."

"You aren't excited? I thought you loved school...oh! I remember that spelling bee last year. You were so proud when you won...what was the word you had to spell?"

"Aphonia."

"That's right, that's right! Remembering that makes me wonder why you aren't more excited about school."

"I just...I don't know..."

"Why not? I'm sure it will be fun, perhaps you may even be challenged a little?"

"I don't know...I don't think I want to go..."

"Why not? Blossom, here, come here. There we go. Now why don't you want to go to school?"

"Well...it's nothing...I just...nevermind,"

"You sound nervous."

"I'm sorry..."

"No! No, it's nothing to be sorry about. I think I know what's wrong...Blossom, you'll be just fine. I know, some people are angry with you, but you've only done good since then."

"...I don't care about that...I d...Boomer will be there...I'll have someone to be my friend. I just—it's not, I don't know. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize so much, I really do understand how you feel."

"No you don't."

"I do, maybe not for the same reasons—and I'm by no way saying my situation was worse than yours, but I did deal with being ostracized in school. High school was just terrible."

"...Really? What happened?"

"Well...you see my older sister was always the smart one. So I think my teachers expected me to be like her, and if I can be honest with you...well I wasn't really that excited about school when I was younger. Then of course there are always the kids that just love to pick on everyone, I was always the butt of a lot of jokes."

"I'm sorry..."

"Why? You weren't even thought of when I was in high school! Don't be silly, Sweetie; I just want you to know that you'll be fine. You're a lot like I was back then, a lot stronger, a lot smarter, but there are a lot of similarities."

"Really? You think...you think so?"

"I do! Now, I want to hear about your week, will you tell me?"

"I guess...I slept a lot...especially after Sunday,"

"You fought that criminal, what was her name?"

"Sedusa...she got Chemical X somehow and now she's a lot stronger..."

"Oh my, what happened?"

"She...she transformed into something...we chased her and I guess we split up..."

"Why in the world did you split up? That sounds dangerous and a bit reckless,"

"That's what I thought...but Buttercup...we got into a fight and I just wanted to get away from her...but I found Sedusa and sh—she attacked me and I couldn't fight back..."

"Because of this?"

"...Yeah. I'm completely useless against supervillains now..."

"No you're not, without you, I know your sisters would have been a lot worse off! You're a bit more observant than they are, I think."

"Well...well I did save them one time I guess..."

"See? You're not useless, you just can't fight as directly anymore."

"Yeah...I guess so..."

"Did you get hurt?"

"I, well, a little bit. It's okay though, I'm fine..."

"That's good to hear, I always worry when I see you on the news rushing off to save the day! Oh it's as terrifying as it is thrilling...but I know you'll always come out on top. Isn't that right?"

"W-Well...I um...I try..."

"Oh, someone's blushing...don't be modest, you're a very good superheroine. Even with your powers weakened, you're still the brightest hero in the whole city."

"I...w-...uh..."

"That's better! Now, see if you can handle a supervillain, I know you can handle something as mundane and easy as school! Everything is going to be alright."

"...You're right...th-thank you Dr. Elise...thank you..."

"Oh! Well, that's what I'm here for. Now we're running out of time...why don't you tell me, how are you sleeping? Have you had any dreams lately?"

"I...I don't remember..."

"You're not a very good liar, Blossom...don't worry, you know I won't tell anyone."

"I...I dreamed about him again..."

"You did? Tell me about it...oh don't be so bashful. It's alright! I promise you won't tell me anything I haven't heard before."

"...I was...it...well...I...I was with him..."

"Go on."

"I was...I was a goddess again...and we won...we won! He was so proud of me...he said...said that he knew I was special...he believed in me...and...and then...we...um...we k..."

"You kissed him?"

"..."

"There's nothing to be ashamed of..."

"...Sometimes...sometimes I sleep just so I can see him again..."

"Maybe that's not the most productive way to spend your time, you should find a new hobby. Try something to just take your mind off everything."

"...I can try..."

"That's good...remember, you can spend all your time in bed dreaming, or you can wake up and really live a little."

"..."

"I'm sorry, that was terrible. I never said I was a brilliant speaker, did I?"

"I guess not,"

"That's better. You know you're a lot prettier when you smile,"

"...Thank you..."

"You're welcome...well it looks like we're out of time. I hope you have a great first day of school. Blossom?"

"Y-Yes Dr. Elise?"

"Remember...everything is going to be alright."

"I...I will...thank you,"

"Goodbye, Blossom."

"Goodbye Doctor..."


	34. A Murder of Two

"_**She wants to be just like me, and I want everything I see.**_

_**You know, one day you're Daddy's little angel,**_

_**The next day you're everything he wanted you to be.**_

_**They dress you up in white satin, and give you your very own pair of wings,**_

_**In August and everything after, I'm after everything,"**_

**August and Everything After (Counting Crows)**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 5  
**

* * *

The sun was rising slowly over the horizon. Across the city, children moaned and groaned, rolling out of bed and begrudgingly saying goodbye to Summer vacation. Parents sighed in relief, sipping their coffee and relishing in finally being free of their children's uninterrupted presence. This same experience held true even at the home of the Powerpuff Girls. At least...for the better part. In the corner guest room, Blossom laid curled up under the blankets, trying to fight back the morning one second at a time.

"Blossom...Honey, it's time to wake up. You've got school today!" Blossom let out the shallow breath she'd been holding. The door creaked open. Soft footsteps padded across the thin carpet. The Professor sat down next to Blossom, laying a gentle hand on her side.

"Blossom?" Blossom tightened her hold on the covers, keeping them held firmly over her head. The Professor gave her side another tender rub. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, "Your uniform is hanging on the door, come down for breakfast...what would you like?" Blossom sighed...there was no way out of it. She was going to have to face the daylight eventually.

"I don't care..." The Professor gave her another kiss and slid out of the room. Blossom remained unmoving, staring unblinking at the wall. Would he forget about her if she just went back to sleep? The smell of waffles drifted up the stairs, deviously slipping under the door and permeating her cold, cold room. Blossom groaned and pulled the covers over her head. There was no way out...she had to see the sun again.

Blossom sat up, doll in her lap. She held it so protectively, so lovingly; in times like these it almost felt like—Blossom gave the doll a tight hug and hid it beneath her pillow. Shuffling wearily across the floor, she sighed, staring at her school uniform. The old Townsville Elementary had been destroyed, but even rebuilt it had adhered to the same dress code. With another breathy sigh, she crawled out of her nightgown and fumbled her way into the uniform. Smoothing out her black skirt, she frowned and started toward the door. It fit better than she had expected...but the principle of the matter wore even worse than she had imagined.

The Professor was at the stove, throwing together a breakfast of exaggerated proportions. There was so much food piled on the table, Blossom actually lost her appetite seeing it. Bubbles and Buttercup were at the table, engulfing food as fast as they could—though even with their superhuman abilities they couldn't keep up with their father's cooking. Blossom sat down and stared at her plate. Bacon and eggs arranged into a sappy smiling face, on top of a waffle. There was a glass of milk and a glass of orange juice arranged around you plate. Blossom sighed and rubbed her stomach, her loss of appetite had become a stomachache. The Professor brought the last of the breakfast food to the table, and took a seat next to Bubbles.

"So are you all excited about first grade? Oh I know I'm excited for you! First grade is a big step up from kindergarten! Oh I can just see you graduating from high school now...oh my babies are growing up so fast!" Bubbles giggled and patted the Professor's hand.

"Professor, it's just first grade!" The Professor chuckled and wiped his eyes, giving her a tight hug.

"Oh, I know Honey, but you know how I get sometimes...so what about you girls?" Buttercup shrugged, tugging on her vest.

"It would be better if we didn't have to wear these stupid uniforms...I don't even see the point," She grumbled, draining the last of her milk.

"I like it!" Bubbles piped up. Buttercup shrugged, chewing on a mouthful of waffles. Blossom stayed quiet. Bubbles didn't usually talk so much when she was around...she didn't want to start trouble so early in the morning by causing her to clam up again. She glanced at the Professor. Though she stayed quiet, he seemed to know what she was thinking. With a small nod, he smiled at Bubbles and patted her head.

"I think you girls are going to like first grade even more than kindergarten. I know, I know," He said, cutting off Bubbles and Buttercup's near protests, "You won't have Ms. Keane as your teacher, but I think you'll enjoy the change of scenery! I've only heard good things about the teachers at Townsville Elementary...I'm guessing they're the same teachers from before..." Though she was sure it wasn't his intention, the Professor's comment caused Buttercup to glare at Blossom. Blossom pushed her eggs around on her plate.

"Well, it looks like it's almost time to head out. Why don't you two run upstairs and brush your teeth?" Buttercup and Bubbles hurried off, leaving Blossom and the Professor alone. The Professor moved his seat closer to Blossom, laying a heavy hand on her back. Blossom flinched and looked up at him. She looked back down at her plate of untouched food.

"You should eat some breakfast, Blossom..." Blossom sighed and nodded. As she stabbed a bit of egg on her fork, she cringed and pushed her plate away. Even the sound made her stomach churn.

"I'm just not hungry Professor...I'm sorry," The Professor smiled and rubbed her back. He climbed to his feet and began cleaning off the table.

"It's alright...just try to eat lunch for me, okay?" Blossom nodded, sliding out of her seat and grabbing her lunch sack. Bubbles and Buttercup were down and at the door in the time it took her to shuffle out of the kitchen. The Professor gave them each a kiss and a hug, waving as they flew off toward school. Blossom fell back, watching her sisters fly and chatter excitedly. Maybe a change of scenery would be good for her...anything would be better than sleeping all day, right? Blossom tried to smile, but it felt so forced and fake. Blossom frowned and shook her head. Nothing would be better than going back to bed...

"Blossom hurry up! We're going to be late!" For a brief moment, Blossom considered breaking away from her sisters and going back to her room. The thought came too late though, there was Townsville Elementary looming in the distance. Blossom swallowed, nervously touching down with her sisters and entering the building. Contrary to the generally cheerful disposition the rest of Townsville gave off, Townsville Elementary was built strict and stern, looking more like a prison than an educational institution. From the green linoleum floors to the piercing fluorescent lights, the schoolhouse was foreboding and uncomfortable.

The Powerpuff Girls entered Room A11-21. The incessant chatter—bemoaning the end of vacation and joyful at the sight of familiar faces—stopped the moment the Powerpuff Girls hovered into the room. More specifically, every mouth closed as every eye fell on Blossom. She lowered her eyes, only quickly chancing a glance at the white board.

A seating chart was drawn in sharp black marker on the board. For better or worse, the Powerpuff Girls had been scattered around the room. Bubbles was seated on the left, three rows back, Buttercup in the fourth row on the right. And Blossom was seated front and center, right in front of the teacher's desk in the front row. Maybe this same time last year she'd have been excited...as it was she felt even worse as she stiffly climbed into her rigged, wooden desk.

Blossom jumped as the loud, screeching bell rang. The class turned to face the door, waiting anxiously to meet their new teacher. Blossom had noticed that there was no name on the door, no plate on the desk, nor had there been any sign of a teacher's name on their list of school supplies. Something seemed off about the whole thing...again she thought of her nice warm bed in her cold corner room. Blossom stared at her lap, sighing again. The door creaked open and someone gasped. Muttering broke out, panicked...confused. Blossom narrowed her eyes and looked up. Her mouth fell open, a small high-pitched gasp escaping her lips.

The teacher was tall, even taller than Professor Utonium. He wore a sharp black suit, neatly tailored to give it a near Gothic appearance. His hair was long, shoulder length, and dark, bloody red. His pointed beard was long, but thin coming down over the breast of his suit jacket. He set his briefcase on his desk and slowly turned—it was as if he wasn't even moving his feet—to face the class. His eyes were dark, fiery red; his skin was a sick, pale green and two black horns rose up from his head. When he spoke...Blossom swore she felt her heart stop.

"Good Morning Class...I am to be your instructor. You shall address me as Uka-sensei," Blossom was having trouble breathing...having trouble believing her eyes. Uka-sensei picked up a sheet of paper and examined it closely, stroking his beard. He cleared his throat and once again turned his unblinking eyes on the class.

"I shall now take attendance. When your name has been spoken, you shall rise and greet Uka-sensei with a respectful bow...failure to adhere to this custom shall result in a punishment most unpleasant..." A few of the students chuckled, but anyone who thought he was joking realized otherwise staring into his stern eyes. Uka-sensei nodded and turned to the paper.

"Mike Believe," Mike nearly knocked his desk over jumping to his feet. He further embarrassed himself by tripping as he quickly bowed toward Uka-sensei. The teacher smirked and nodded, making a note on his roll sheet. And so attendance went, each student just as terrified as to avoid upsetting their new teacher. That is, until Uka-sensei reached the bottom of the list. He peered over the paper, staring deep into Blossom's rosy-pink eyes. Uka-sensei chuckled and tapped the paper.

"Blossom...that would you, would it not, child?" Blossom nodded, stiffly getting to her feet. She started to bow, but stopped. Uka-sensei was already calling on her sisters. Feeling foolish, Blossom sat down again, trying to stare at her desk...trying to do anything to avoid staring at him. Uka-sensei finished up the attendance and promptly crumpled and threw the paper on the floor. He took a seat at his desk and laced his fingers, resting his chin on them.

"Very good...all who belong to Uka are present. You shall be in this room promptly at eight a.m. Tardiness shall not be tolerated; should that accursed bell ring before you have taken your seat, I will be most displeased..." Blossom nodded slightly, still staring at her desk. The room was eerily quiet...no one dared trying Uka-sensei's patience.

"Your homework shall be turned in at the time designated by Uka, not a moment later. All who wish to advance to the next grade of their education would be wise to remember this," Blossom looked up, biting her lip. Uka-sensei climbed to his feet and paced the front of the room, arms crossed behind his back. Every so often his gaze fell on Blossom—she swore that when he looked at her...he stared just a little longer.

"There shall be no horseplay in Uka's class. There will be no speaking while I am speaking. I am your sensei! My word is law! The words spoken by Uka are true wisdom, and they shall not be spoken twice! Take careful notes...those who do not wish to learn from Uka shall find that there are fates far, far worse than failure in their future," Blossom couldn't resist smiling when Uka-sensei met her eyes. He smiled as well and turned around, facing the white board. He stroked his beard and glanced at the sheet of paper in his hand. With a low hum, he threw the paper down on the desk.

"Very good, it is time that we began. Take out the materials for your math lesson...now let me see..." Uka-sensei snatched the math text from his desk and thumbed through it, eyes flashing back and forth. With a resolute nod, he casually hurled it across the room—Blossom had to stifle a giggle when it nearly hit Molly Beware in the face.

"Ah yes, I am most familiar with this lesson! Now, behold!" Uka-sensei turned to the board and wrote...and wrote...and wrote until the problem he had devised stretched over half the surface. He then turned to the class wearing an expectant smirk.

"Now, who will solve this problem for the class? Come! If there are no volunteers, it shall fall upon me to choose," A hand must have gone up, as Uka-sensei pointed off into the corner. Blossom bit her lip, hearing a small voice speak up.

"M-Mr...I...I mean Uka-sensei um...we-we haven't l-learned how t-to do that..." Uka-sensei narrowed his eyes and turned to the problem, tapping his chin. He snorted and turned back to the class.

"Surely you are no so poorly taught you cannot solve such a simple equation? Yes..." Uka-sensei's face lit up. He grinned as he looked at Blossom, who had her hand held up, "Blossom...you have an answer for Uka?" Blossom could hear murmurs behind her, she could feel eyes burning into her back. Clearing her throat she nodded.

"The answer is twenty-seven...Uka-sensei," The teacher laugh heartily, and nodded, turning to the problem.

"Very good, child! That is the correct answer...yes, I was not mistaken. This work is most suitable for this level," There were several startled gasps, followed by angry whispers. Blossom could hear names being thrown her way; accusations and insults flew at her, but somehow she managed to drown them out. She leaned forward, excited as Uka-sensei wrote the next problem on the board. This one was even more complex than the last.

"Now, this shall be your next problem! Does anyone have an answer for Uka-sensei?" At once, Blossom's hand shot into the air, "Yes...Red Child..." Blossom's heart skipped a beat and her face turned bright red. She trembled, for a moment forgetting what she was doing. Uka-sensei stood right in front of her desk, looking down at her with one eyebrow raised. Blossom's mouth opened and closed uselessly.

"You have an answer, Blossom?" Blossom nodded, swallowing and quickly averting her eyes. She stared at her desk. She was sweating, her heart was pounding like a hammer in her chest.

"It's the square root of two hundred sixty-seven point one five three..." Uka-sensei laid a hand on her desk. His fingers lightly brushed her arm and it was like a surge of electricity ran through her body. Blossom sat up straight, taking in a sharp breath.

"Correct...it is apparent that the rest of this class is not at the level Uka expects of you...we shall go over more simple calculations," Begrudgingly, Uka-sensei picked up his text and cleared his throat. After a moment looking at the chapter one introduction, he glowered and closed his book.

"You, read the introduction to the class," A shaky voice to Blossom's right started reading...she didn't know who it was, and didn't really care what she was saying. She merely stared at her arm, at the spot where Uka-sensei had touched her. His fingers were warm...abnormally warm. Minutes dragged by, every second feeling like an eternity. Blossom glanced up and noticed that Uka-sensei wasn't even paying attention. The other student finished reading, snapping Uka-sensei out of his daze.

"Uh...um...yes! Yes very good, do you understand the goal of this lesson?" Several hands went up. Uka-sensei narrowed his eyes, but began taking questions. Once again, Blossom tuned the lesson out. She stared at the monster, watched his elegant, calligraphic scrawl once again fill the white board. At times, he goofed and made annotations in kanji, other times he simply wrote the answer without explaining the work process. Blossom leaned on her mitt and sighed. The room was warm, but oh so very comfortable. Though he had a tendency to overemphasize words, or to yell at simple questions, she was mystified by his deep baritone voice, dipped in a thick Oriental accent.

"Do you understand now, child?" Uka-sensei was glaring across the room. He turned away and approached his desk, "Very good...ah yes! Now it is time for Uka's favorite les-" A shrill ring interrupted Uka-sensei, who screamed and dropped his notes. He glared at the bell—for a brief moment Blossom swore his eyebrows caught on fire.

**"What is the meaning of this?!"** Though Uka-sensei was confused, the students practically fought to get out of the classroom, to escape to the relative safety of the cafeteria. Uka-sensei snarled and took a seat at his desk. Though the others were pushing and shoving to get out the door, Blossom remained where she sat. Once the room was empty, the door slid shut of its own volition. Though she didn't raise her eyes from her desk, Blossom jumped hearing the soft click of the lock.

"You have remained behind, child...**you heard my request?"** Blossom bit her lip and screwed her eyes shut. Tears leaked down her cheeks and she silently sobbed, trying to hold them back. She looked up and saw him standing there in front of her...alive as he had ever been. Inky black skin absorbing the light coming in through the barred windows, his eyebrows crackling and burning. Without a second thought, she tore out of her desk, knocking it over in the process, and threw herself at him. Aku caught her in his arms and held her close, lightly stroking her hair.

All defenses thrown away, Blossom began to cry—harder than she had ever cried in her life. She hugged him with every ounce of her strength, begging and praying that he wouldn't disappear again. Aku gave her a tight squeeze, his breath tickled her cheek.

**"Do not cry, Blossom...I have returned...you are with Aku once more,"** Blossom shook her head and pulled back, staring at his face. Aku swallowed and took that moment to rub his chest. Blossom touched his face, sobbing again.

"Why...why did...why did you leave...why d-did you l-leave me?!" She screamed...she didn't mean to, but she wanted to. She wanted to just scream and cry, kick and punch him, make him hurt as badly as he had hurt her. Aku swallowed again and knelt down to her eye level. He cupped her cheek, delicately wiping away her tears with one sharp claw.

**"I...it is a most...confusing dilemma, Blossom..."**

"Tell me!! Just...just answer me!!" Her voice cracked and she hiccuped. But she wouldn't look away, she couldn't look away, not until she knew the truth. She had thought...thought for three long months that Buttercup had...that her sister had killed him. That she had taken him away from her forever.

**"It was...a very confusing time for Aku. When I saw you...saw you torn apart, dying in a most gruesome manner...it frightened me,"** Aku cleared his throat and looked away, clutching his chest. Blossom looked down and gasped, seeing bright red light coming from his chest. She looked back up at him.

**"You see, Blossom...the return of Aku had greater implications than even he had imagined. It...I thought that it would be better if I left you...but the pain was too great. I had to return to you, child. I...am most sorry, it was not Aku's intention to hurt you further,"** Blossom whined and threw herself at him again, snuggling close to his big, fluffy beard. She breathed in his hot scent, like fire. She relished the feel of his smoldering hot body...she had missed being so near to him.

"I...I don't care...I thought you...I thought you were...you can't leave again! I won't let you, you can't ever leave again!" Blossom pulled back and grabbed his shoulders, glaring at him with fire in her eyes. Aku's chest began to burn brighter.

**"I could not leave you again if I tried, Blossom...this...this forever connects you to Aku,"** He lightly too her hand and pressed it against his chest. Blossom stared at her own hand. She could feel it beating...she could feel his heart.

"Your...your heart..."

**"A blessing and a curse...bestowed upon Aku by the very blood that gave him life once more..."** Blossom's eyes widened. She remembered the saw blade from Mojo's robot cutting her arm...she remembered Aku's tongue lightly trailing across her cheek, licking away the blood drawn by his own claws.

"M-My blood..." Aku smiled and nodded, patting her head.

**"You are brilliant, Blossom...you never cease to amaze even Aku,"** Blossom smiled and giggled softly. All the hurt, the betrayal, the longing...it was gone, just like that. She hugged him again; he hugged her in return. Their peaceful moment was interrupted by the shrill scream of the bell overhead. Aku pulled away to glare up at it.

**"This device is most unpleasant..."** Blossom giggled and rubbed her eyes. Aku looked down and narrowed his eyes, grabbing her arm suddenly. Blossom winced and looked down at the offending appendage. They both stared at the silvery-blue band tightly secured around her wrist.

**"This is..."** Blossom took her arm back and rubbed her wrist. She hadn't been able to take it off in three months now...it had long since become uncomfortable.

"My power restricting bracelet...after I...after I recovered from that sickness, everyone wanted me..." Blossom licked her lips and looked up at Aku, "Some people wanted my powers removed...others wanted me to be...to be ex...to be destroyed," She held up her wrist and sighed, "The Professor managed to reason with them and the compromise was I had to wear this until I proved I could be trusted...it's set to keep me at around o-one percent of my power..." Blossom lowered her head, hoping he wouldn't notice. But, Aku did notice and wiped away the few tears that slid down her cheeks. He was rough, but she could tell he was trying to be gentle.

**"So...they have rendered you an invalid?"** Blossom nodded. Aku glared and reached to snap the bracelet. Blossom pulled her wrist away, shaking her head.

"No! Don't...don't...not right now...please, if Buttercup finds out that I took it off..." Aku crossed his arms and glared out the window. Blossom followed his gaze; her fellow students were running around and playing outside. She'd missed lunch...and recess was almost half over. Suddenly hungry, she held her rumbling stomach. Aku looked down at her.

**"You hunger, child?" **Blossom blushed and giggled.

"It's okay...I have food," She grabbed up her sack lunch and sat down at her desk, greedily biting into the ripe red apple the Professor had packed her. Aku sat down at his desk and folded his arms, watching her with a distant smile. Blossom noticed and smiled back, swallowing and wiping the juice off her face.

"Sorry...I haven't eaten a lot the last few days," Aku waved his hand dismissively and Blossom continued her greedy display. Every so often she looked up at Aku and couldn't help giggling and blushing. She noticed with cheerful satisfaction, that Aku couldn't help chuckling every time she looked at him.

* * *

The rest of the day seemed to fly by, and too soon the final bell rang and class was dismissed. Blossom hung back, grinning at Uka-sensei and wishing him a good day. She was the only student who didn't shoot him dirty looks. She wished she could stay behind, but to protect Aku's identity, she flew outside and started toward home slowly. A blue blur shot through the air and in front of her. Blossom smiled brightly at Boomer, who was beaming.

"Hey! You're smiling! Wow! What happened?" Blossom giggled as they flew into the sky, taking the long route home. She blushed and looked back at Townsville Elementary...suddenly it didn't resemble a prison at all.

"I just...had a really good first day," Blossom giggled and Boomer laughed in response. With a childish grin, Blossom suddenly shoved Boomer, "Tag! You're it!" Boomer was stunned for a moment, then narrowed his eyes and shot after her with a huge grin.


	35. A Murder of Seven

"_**I dreamt I saw you walking up a hillside in the snow,**_

_**Casting shadows on the winter sky, as you stood there counting crows:**_

_**One for sorrow, two for joy,**_

_**Three for girls, four for boys,**_

_**Five for silver, six for gold,**_

_**Seven for a secret never to be told"**_

**A Murder of One (Counting Crows "August and Everything After")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 6**

* * *

By the time the girls arrived home, after a hard day scouring the city for any signs of trouble, it was already time for dinner. The Professor greeted them at the door with a smile.

"Hello girls! I've got supper ready, why don't you tell me about your first day?" Professor Utonium beamed as the Powerpuff Girls flew in. Blossom grinned brightly, taking her seat next to Ms. Keane. As the Professor joined the table, Blossom looked at her sisters. Buttercup was scowling, arms crossed. Bubbles met Blossom's gaze for a second, then quickly looked away, her eyes narrowed in thought. Blossom looked down...what could Bubbles be thinking about?

"My, Blossom! I haven't see you this happy in such a long time! Did you have a good day at school?" Blossom perked up and turned to Ms. Keane; she couldn't stop herself from just flying into description.

"It was incredible! I had the best time! Our teacher is-" Blossom bristled when Buttercup cut her off.

"A huge jerk! Everyone hates him!" Ms. Keane blinked and took a sip of water. She glanced down. Blossom's cheeks were red, her grip on her fork was trembling.

"I like Uka-sensei! He's very intelligent, if a little eccentric," Buttercup snorted and speared a green bean, sticking her tongue out before forcing it down.

"You're just saying that 'cause you're the only one he likes. You're such a teacher's pet!" Blossom gasped and put her hands on her hips.

"I am not! It's not my fault he likes me!" Buttercup blew a raspberry at her sister, earning her a stern look from both the Professor and Ms. Keane. She wiped her mouth and kept glaring, though now decorated with a fierce blush.

"You had to answer all those stupid problems none of us knew how to do! You were just trying to kiss up so he'd like you..." Blossom snorted and smirked, looking away and crossing her arms.

"As if I'd need to do that..." she murmured. Ms. Keane glanced back at her; Blossom shot her a disarming grin and giggled sheepishly. Ms. Keane smiled in return and turned to the last sister.

"Bubbles what do you think? How was your day?" Bubbles blinked and looked up. She glanced back and forth between her glaring sisters and swallowed nervously.

"Um...it was okay...but um...Uka-sensei is a little bit scary...he yells a lot and um...he's just scary," Blossom looked down, hiding her snarl as best she could. It wasn't a lie...Aku was scary, as he rightly should be. He was a god, they were right to be afraid of him. Blossom glanced up at Ms. Keane in mid-bite.

"Well...maybe I'll talk to him, it sounds like he might be a little unfair if he expects everyone to be up to Blossom's exceptional standard," Blossom turned away, biting her fork harder. She swallowed nervously, her stomach churning. What if Ms. Keane got Aku fired? What if...he had to go away? What if they found out that Uka-sensei was Aku?

"I'm done...um...please excuse me," Blossom pushed away from the table and flew upstairs. Trailing behind her, she could hear fragments of their conversation. She shoved her door shut and debated locking it. After a moment's hesitation, she pushed the lock and sat down on her bed, staring at the boring carpet. Blossom glanced at the door. Slowly turning to look at her pillow, she snatched her doll and held it tightly.

"I can't lose you again...not this soon," Blossom sniffed and sat her doll back on the bed, shuffling to her closet to change. As she pulled on her nightie, she became aware of a deeper darkness lurking in the shadows. Blossom grinned and jumped on her bed, peering into the darkness. To her utter joy, the darkness peered back.

**"You felt my presence?"** Blossom giggled and moved aside, giving Aku room to sit on the bed. He looked down with a frown before conceding and taking a seat next to her. Blossom's cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but it was simply irresistible, seeing him there again.

"I just thought...I was hoping you were there. And you were, you have no idea how happy that made me!" Blossom gleefully hugged his arm. Aku jerked but smiled and patted her head.

**"It is a joyous occasion for us both, then,"** They sat in silence for what felt like forever. Blossom snuggled against his side, Aku gently stroking her hair. Too soon, she remembered what had been discussed at dinner. Blossom groaned and sat up, glaring toward the floor.

"Look...we need to talk about something..." Aku stroked his beard, his form shifting.

**"Yes...tell me, child, what did you think of Aku's chosen disguise?" **Blossom looked back at him and turned bright red. There sat Uka-sensei on her bed. She giggled bashfully and managed to meet his gaze. Uka smiled and Blossom blushed darker and looked away.

"Well? What do you think of Uka, Blossom?" Blossom licked her lips and hugged her doll tighter. She looked at him again and sighed.

"It's...a very...good disguise..." She sighed again. Uka smirked, stroking his beard. He crossed his legs and leaned back against her headboard. Blossom hesitated, then scooted next to him. Uka draped an arm around her, still playing with his beard.

"Very good...a lot of thought went into this form, Blossom. It needed to blend in, but still hold the regal majesty that Aku so rightfully deserves! I am greatly pleased that you approve," Blossom nodded and sighed, hugging him tight. For a moment, she forgot that there was anything at all they needed to talk about. She faintly caught Ms. Keane's voice drifting upstairs and her eyes snapped open.

"Oh right...um...Aku, there's something we need to talk about," Uka looked down at her, one eyebrow raised. Blossom grinned again; she almost forgot her mission again, but this time she was resolute.

"What is it, Blossom? You seem distressed?" Blossom nodded and sat up, putting one hand to her mouth.

"Well...I think you were a little too harsh today, in class," Uka snorted and crossed his arms.

"To be honest, I felt I was too lenient. These children need to try harder to earn Uka's indulgence to their childish issues," Blossom chuckled and scratched her head.

"Um...but we are children, Aku...listen, I just don't want you to get in trouble. Do you think you could tone it down just a little bit?" Uka sighed and turned to Blossom, who was giving him the sweetest look she could muster. It was Uka's turn to blush and look away, flustered.

"Very well..." Blossom hugged him as tight as she could.

"Thank you very much...I just don't want to lose you again," Uka chuckled. He gently tipped Blossom's chin up and leaned closer, his thumb lightly stroking her cheek.

**"You will never be without Aku, Blossom...rest assured, you shall never lose me again,"** Blossom blushed and looked down. She glanced back at him, a look of deep concentration on her face. Uka frowned and started to sit up; Blossom caught his collar and licked her lips.

Was now the right time? Could she even do it right? Did he even want her to? If she did it wrong...would he know?

"Blossom! Time for bed!" Blossom froze, her eyes half-closed, lips pursed, just a few inches from Uka's cheek. He groaned and stood up, shifting back into his normal form. Aku flashed a smile as he faded into the darkness.

**"I'll see you at school tomorrow, Blossom," **Blossom waved and hid her doll, just as the Professor knocked on the door. Blossom flew over and unlocked the door, smiling at the Professor. He smiled back and walked with her, tucking her into bed.

"Well...I'm glad to see you smiling again. Listen, it sounds like you've got a pretty tough teacher, huh?" Blossom nodded and curled up.

"I guess so...I think he's just very old-fashioned," The Professor chuckled and sat down beside her.

"You look after your sisters, alright? I know you aren't on the best of terms right now but...they're still your sisters, and I know you don't want to see them in trouble," Blossom giggled and shook her head.

"No...I don't. I'll help them if they need me, Professor," The Professor winked and kissed her cheek.

"Goodnight, Honey, I love you," Blossom closed her eyes and snuggled under the blankets. When the Professor shut off the light, she pulled her doll into her arms and hugged it tight, a big smile on her face.

* * *

Before the sun had even risen over the horizon, one little girl was already wide-awake and preparing meticulously for the day ahead. What had her so excited? Why school of course! Blossom scrubbed her hair with the perfect portion of strawberry scented shampoo. She sighed and rinsed her hair, running her mitts through the long strands. As she started to lather up her body, there was a knock at the door. A very sleepy Professor Utonium poked his head into the guest bathroom.

"Blossom?" He paused to yawn and check the time, "Why are you up so early? You don't have to be at school for another two hours, Honey..." Blossom blinked and wiped the soapsuds from her face. The Professor couldn't help smiling.

"Oh, I know Professor, but I feel it's my responsibility to set a good example for both my sisters and my fellow classmates by being as well-groomed as I possibly can!" The Professor chuckled and closed the door muttering something to the extent of "Whatever you say, Blossom" as he went. Blossom beamed and went back to rinsing off the soapy lather. With one last dunk beneath the water, she drained the tub and wrapped herself in a fluffy pink towel. As she blow dried her hair, she stared at her reflection.

'Should I wear my hair the usual way? Or maybe I could try something new...maybe he'd like a traditional Japanese hairstyle? I could always look through some of Bubbles comics...no! No, I'll just...maybe normal will work. No! I've got it!'

* * *

Blossom looked in the mirror, adjusting her blouse and smoothing out her skirt. There, now everything was perfect. One hundred percent perfect. Blossom beamed and walked down the stairs, sniffing the delicious scents floating up from the kitchen. Apparently she'd taken so long, the Professor was already making breakfast.

"Everything smells great, Professor! Do you need any help?"The Professor chuckled and turned around, setting a plate of pancakes on the table.

"No, no, I've got it all under...con...trol..." The Professor stared at Blossom, who took her seat and licked her lips. The Professor chuckled and rubbed his arm.

"So...so you've done something different with your hair?" Blossom looked up with a nervous smile, playing with her hair. Maybe she'd gone a bit overboard...she tied two locks in the front, framing her face, each adorned with a small red ribbon. The rest of her hair had been tied up into a meticulously braided ponytail. Even as decorated as it was, it was still easily longer than she was tall.

"D-Does it look alright?" The Professor sat down across from her, still staring with a sheepish grin on his face.

"Y-Yeah it looks...great, but what's the occasion?" Blossom blushed and started eating.

"Um...no reason...I just wanted to try something new..." The Professor sighed and gave her a knowing smirk. Blossom blushed darker and swallowed nervously. She could only pray he had the wrong idea...suddenly worried, Blossom wolfed down her breakfast and flew back upstairs, just as the Professor was going to wake Bubbles and Buttercup. As she frantically brushed her teeth, flossing and rinsing and then brushing again, Blossom thought about the Professor's look.

'Does he know? He can't know! No one should know...a-am I being too obvious? Please don't let him know...please...I know! I'll just...I'll go ahead and go to school before anyone can ask me any more questions!' Blossom rinsed her mouth one final time and snatched her backpack. She shot passed the Professor, shouting a quick goodbye. Before he even had time to respond, she was already in the air, making her way to school.

"Oh no...I forgot about my hair...I hope it doesn't get too messed up..." Blossom winced and slowed down. She checked her reflection in a window and kept flying. Thankfully, her hair seemed to be holding just fine. She arrived at school before too long, touching down and walking through the big doors. It was almost surreal, being at school so early. Everything was silent, save for the odd teacher slamming their car door shut or walking up the stairs. Blossom sighed, spotting her classroom.

'I wonder if he's here yet?' To her knowledge...he didn't sleep. 'What does he do all night?' Blossom wondered as she walked in. She checked her reflection in the door window, fixing the few stray hairs that had escaped. Giving herself one more look over—wishing she could get rid of her bracelet...it ruined her perfect look—she nervously took her seat. The clock ticked ominously on the wall, every jerk of the second hand felt like an earthquake. Blossom bit her lip and glanced at the door.

Would he arrive early? Selfish as it might seem...she wanted some alone time with him before the rest of the class showed up. Blossom lowered her head and bit her lip. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...

"You're early," Blossom nearly screamed, sitting up and staring at him. There he was, sitting at his desk with his fingers laced and a cocky smirk on his lips. She blushed and grinned back.

"Yeah...I um...I wanted to see you before...you know," Uka-sensei chuckled and stood up. He lifted her chin and looked her over.

"Your hair is different...you look...lovely," Blossom turned bright red. Uka-sensei snatched his briefcase and sighed, turning back to her, "Unfortunately, I have a...meeting of some sort that requires my attendance. I'll be back as soon as it is completed," Blossom nodded, watching him go. She sighed and rested her cheek on her hand. How could this have been a bad idea? Even if the rest of the day was bad...Blossom giggled and touched her face. She was blushing.


	36. Aku and Blossom's Last Lunch

"_**There is something I see in you**_

_**It might kill me, **_

_**I want it to be true"**_

**Decode (Paramore)**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 7**

* * *

**"But it was no use! Their puny weapons could not harm the mighty Aku...I set their homes ablaze, and tore apart their armies! In no time, all of Japan had fallen to the invincible Aku," **Blossom took a big bite from her peanut butter and jelly sandwich, staring up at Aku with bright eyes. He smirked and leaned back in his seat, lacing his fingers.

**"And that, child, is the tale of Aku's first empire. The pitiful creatures were forced into servitude, my minions had them constructing monuments to me before nightfall," **Blossom grinned and wiped her mouth delicately. She sipped her juice box and glanced out the window. Frowning she turned back to Aku.

"So how did you lose? Didn't you take over the whole world?" Aku cleared his throat and sat up, nervously shuffling the papers on his desk. He looked up at Blossom, who sat unblinking, and sighed. His flaming eyebrows narrowed into tiny flickers. Blossom giggled and floated over to his desk, sitting down in front of him. Aku turned to face her with a frown; Blossom grinned brighter.

"It was the Professor's ancestor, right? The Samurai beat you with that sword," Aku leaned back, mumbling something unintelligible. Blossom kicked her legs gently and rubbed her chin. Aku glared back at her, slowly sitting up straight.

**"You are...correct. I thought I had succeeded in disposing of him, but somehow he returned to defeat me,"** Blossom nodded and looked up at the ceiling. That was a common problem, she had noticed. Most villains, regardless of how powerful or intelligent they were, tended to lack the necessary organizational skills needed in something as expansive as world conquest. They planned and schemed down to the tee exactly how the conquest would go. But...the moment something went awry, their plan fell apart at the seems. A single, unplanned variable burned the entire tapestry. God though he was, Aku wasn't exempt from this trend. Blossom winced and lightly touched her chest.

Frankly speaking, neither was she.

**"What are you pondering, Blossom? You seldom remain silent for so long...surely you have a comment to make,"** Blossom grinned and turned back to Aku. Lightly kicking her legs, she cocked her head to the side.

"Well, I was just thinking about why you lost," Aku grumbled and Blossom quickly held up her hands, "No! I don't mean like that...it was just an interesting thought I had. You had almost all the cards...except the one that could beat you," Blossom took another sip of her juice box and glanced at the clock. They had time...she shrugged and smiled, setting her drink down.

"See, I would have done it differently," Aku blinked and leaned closer.

**"Is that so?"** Blossom nodded, finishing the last of her sandwich. Aku smirked and wiped some of the crumbs from her cheeks. Blossom blushed and giggled.

"Well...your idea was understandable. You're a god, you were invincible in the face of conventional weapons. But, in that same sense, I think it made you overconfident. You just got free and attacked immediately. That was your mistake," Aku stroked her hair, sliding his chair closer. Blossom blushed darker; he was so close now.

**"Go on...tell me how you would have succeeded where Aku failed," **Blossom nodded, leaning against his hand.

"I...well...okay! Alright...well if I had been in your position, I would have waited. I mean, if you're going to try something as big as taking over the world you need to make sure you know you can pull it off! People don't...usually react too well when you fail..." Blossom swallowed and laughed sheepishly, scratching her head. She cleared her throat sat up straight.

"I'd treat it like...a larger scale monster battle. Analyze the situation and identify possible weaknesses in your enemy, while also noting his strengths. If you've lost before, figure out why you lost and make sure that overcoming that is at the center of your strategy."

"So in your case...maybe start smaller, don't just bust in and take over, but work on creating a sense of discontent that you could possibly turn into a civil war of some kind. If they're busy fighting each other, they'll be that much harder pressed to stop you. The only reason you failed was because the Samurai was able to get the sword, right? You lost to the sword before, so if you had taken your time and found a way to get rid of the sword, they would have been powerless against you," Blossom blinked and leaned back on her hands, staring at the ceiling. Slowly a grin spread across her face.

"Actually, the best way to have won would be to have some other kingdom take over. The sword wouldn't make a difference against human opponents, and you'd just need to give them a little...boost. Then you could show up when they had fallen and wipe out anyone left behind. By that point, it would have been too late for them to send the prince away to train to defeat you!" Blossom beamed excitedly. Aku chuckled and patted her head, standing up and changing into Uka-sensei once again.

"We will continue this discussion some other time...take your seat, Blossom. The others will be returning shortly," Blossom nodded and cleaned up her lunch, sitting down at her seat, grinning from ear to ear. The other students piled in, their peals of laughter and raucous discussion snipping off into silence the moment they crossed the threshold. Uka-sensei sat at his desk, fingers laced, watching them with an intense glare. Blossom noticed a few odd looks thrown her way, but did her best to ignore them.

"You have returned...yes, all present and accounted for, very good," Uka-sensei climbed to his feet and strode to the whiteboard. He sighed, flipping through the history book in his hand, stroking his beard.

"Hm, it would seem that we have at last reached chapter 3...pass your homework forward," Uka-sensei glanced over the top of the book, "And those of you who insist on finishing your assignments at this time...do not bother, your score has already been determined," There were a few moans, and some mumbled insults, but soon all the papers were passed forward. Uka-sensei snatched them up, pausing at Blossom for just a fraction of a second longer. Blossom shivered and flashed a subtle grin his way. Dropping the papers on his desk, Uka-sensei cleared his throat.

"Very good, everything is in order. Now, we shall press forward with chapter 4. Turn in your books to page..." Uka-sensei paused, turning to the door. A few seconds later there came an abrupt, no-nonsense knock on the door. Uka-sensei glared, tossing his book down and yanking the door open. There was a moment of muffled whispering before Uka-sensei turned to the class.

"Begin reading the assigned section, I shall return shortly. Do not let me hear even a whisper out of you in my absence," Blossom leaned forward, trying to look passed Uka-sensei. She managed to get a glimpse of blonde hair, but the door was angrily shut before she could get a good look. Blossom frowned and turned to her reading. She'd already finished the textbook—history had proven to be one of her favorite subjects—so there was no real reason to read it again...Blossom looked up, her eyes glowing light pink. She clenched her jaw and suddenly the sounds in the classroom faded away, instead she could now hear a conversation as the wall melted away to show her the hallway.

"-of getting complaints. I understand you come from an...interesting background, Mr. Uka, but I am the one in charge here, and I won't have some pompous **man** disrespecting my school," The woman was eerily familiar; it took a moment, but Blossom recognized her as Femme Fatale! She narrowed her eyes and glanced at Uka-sensei. Her teacher looked incredibly irate. Femme Fatale's cheeks were bright red, she was absolutely furious. It was odd seeing her dressed to the nines in a business skirt...just what was she doing here?

"The students were given Uka's rules on the first day; those who choose to disobey me shall suffer my punishment," Uka-sensei crossed his arms and kept his glare leveled with Femme Fatale's. For her part, the ex-villain wasn't fazed in the least by Uka-sensei's intimidating demeanor.

"Mr. Uka, I appreciate that you demand respect. You are certainly a highly-qualified individual; however, just as the students are to follow your rules, you are to follow mine: monster or not," Uka-sensei narrowed his eyes, but relented.

"Very well...I shall 'lighten up' as you put it," Femme Fatale nodded and lowered her voice. Blossom strained her ears more, training in on her voice.

"Good, but Mr. Uka there is one last thing we must discuss. I have received numerous reports that you have been spending a lot of time with Blossom Utonium-" Uka-sensei's fiery demeanor vanished. He grinned broadly and stroked his beard, glancing back at the classroom. Blossom blushed and smiled when he looked right at her.

"Yes, the Red Child is most spectacular, is she not? Her intellect seems to know no bounds and she is most enthusiastic in class," Femme Fatale cleared her throat, jerking Uka-sensei from his wild praise.

"Mr. Uka, you may not be familiar with both American and Human customs, but here in this country is is considered very inappropriate for a teacher to spend so much time with a student. Blossom is a child, she needs to have lunch with her peers and have recess with the others. It is both damaging to Blossom's interactions with her peers and it is harmful to the other students. Now, I understand that having a favorite student is unavoidable, but you cannot be so blatant about it. It is discriminatory and unfair to the others," Uka-sensei turned to Femme Fatale with a vicious glare.

"Is that so? Perhaps if they tried harder to live up to her example-" Femme Fatale merely crossed her arms.

"No more lunch with your student Mr. Uka. If I get one more report on you, I'll be forced to take more drastic measures," Uka-sensei rolled his eyes and turned away from Femme Fatale. Blossom noticed that his eyebrows had become smoldering embers.

"Very well...Principal Derry," Blossom blinked and her X-Ray vision clipped off. Femme Fatale was the principal? How in the world...the door opened and a very irate Uka-sensei stomped into the room. He waited for a moment at his desk, then cleared his throat and picked up his book.

"Henderson, what is the answer to the first review question?" Marcus Henderson sat upright with a gasp. He swallowed and flipped through his book.

"Uh...um...I'm not done reading, Uka-s-sensei," Uka-sensei narrowed his eyes. Blossom bit her lip. Try as she might, Uka-sensei wouldn't look her in the eye.

* * *

The rest of the day seemed to drag painfully...Uka-sensei was clearly in a bad mood, and seemed to be keeping a distance from Blossom. When the last bell rang, he didn't even give her a subtle smile like he usually did. Though she knew the reason, Blossom couldn't help feeling just a little hurt that he would just instantly become so cold. Then again, he was prone to overreacting.

"Hey! Blossom...um..." Blossom blinked and snapped out of her train of thought. She laughed sheepishly and turned to Boomer. Her blond buddy was concerned, and maybe more than a little confused.

"Sorry, Boomer, I was just thinking about school today. Were you saying something?" Boomer shrugged.

"I don't remember, so what happened? You look sad," Blossom sighed. Boomer wasn't very intelligent, but he just had to share Bubbles' sometimes infuriating perception—not quite to the same degree, though. She glanced to the side then shrugged as well.

"Well, it's just, I guess I got my teacher in trouble," Boomer blinked and cocked his head. She couldn't help laughing at his look of deep thought.

"What? How did you do that?" He asked. Blossom looked down at his worksheet and started jotting down some notes. Sure, they weren't in class together anymore, but they still met at the library after school so she could help him with his homework. Blossom smirked and brushed her hair away from her face.

"Wow, Boomer, you're doing really good so far," Boomer giggled and scratched his head. He was blushing more often, she noticed.

"Thanks...but really what did you do?" He asked again. Blossom groaned in frustration. She had been hoping he'd forget about the issue.

"Well...it's just, I really like him. So I've been...staying in at recess and eating lunch with him," Boomer blinked and narrowed his eyes. He gasped and sat up right, thrusting his mitt toward her.

"That's where you've been! I thought you were hiding! I kept trying to find you every day!" Boomer blinked again and frowned, "Wait, so we weren't playing Hide and Seek? I thought you were just really good..." Blossom frowned and shook her head.

"No sorry. But, I'm not allowed to stay inside anymore, so we can play Hide and Seek next week if you want to," Boomer grinned broadly.

"Alright! That'll be awesome! Wait, can I hide first? I've been It every day..." Blossom giggled and nodded. Boomer grinned and the two started to work on their homework again. After what felt like an eternity of comfortable silence and mild scribbling

"...So are you happy?" Blossom paused and bit her lip.

"What do you mean?" She heard him set his pencil down. She could practically feel his eyes on her.

"Like...are you really happy? Cause you haven't been...you in a long time, but you are now so I just wanna know if you...um...uh..." Blossom giggled and glanced at him. He'd confused himself again.

"Yes...I'm really happy right now, Boomer," She paused, then leaned forward and kissed his cheek, "Thanks for asking," Boomer turned three shades of pink and touched his cheek. Blossom giggled; Boomer's face warmed up.

* * *

The moment Blossom closed the door to her bedroom, the dark corner of the room near her bed shifted and the Master of Masters stepped out of the shadows. Blossom dropped her backpack down by the door and floated up to him. Aku sighed and crossed his arms, glaring at the window.

**"I apologize for my cold demeanor...I did not want to tempt that vindictive mortal,"** Blossom shook her head and sat down on the edge of her bed. Aku joined her—he sat so rigid next to her. Blossom laid her head against his arm and closed her eyes. She imagined she could hear crackling flames, that she could smell burning ash. Aku's arm snaked around her waist. Blossom smiled and snuggled closer to him, wrapping her arms as far as they would go around him.

"It's okay...I know why you did it. But, um..." Blossom took another deep breath and sat up. When she looked up, she met his gaze. With a sheepish smile, she lightly caressed his warm, fluffy beard.

"I don't think you have to completely ignore me...I'll just go outside for recess, okay?" Aku nodded and moved to stroke his beard. Instead he caught her hand in his. There was a brief moment where his chest pulsed deep red. Blossom scarcely noticed.

**"Yes, that would be for the best..." **Blossom only nodded.


	37. August 19th, 2001

**August 19th, 2001**

**Patient Name: Blossom Utonium**

_This is Dr. Irena Elise reporting on patient, Blossom Utonium. I've not seen Blossom for a week, she started first grade last Monday. I noticed her in the waiting room earlier, and I have to say I haven't seen a smile that bright on her face in a very, very long time. What could have possibly happened to completely turn her demeanor around? I'm excited about today's meeting...maybe we're finally going to make a break through? Maybe we're getting closer to the real Blossom?_

"Good afternoon, Dr. Elise! How have you been?"

"It's nice to see you, Blossom! I've had a busy week, but it's been a good week. On that note, how about yourself? I can't remember the last time you looked so cheerful,"

"I feel great, Dr. Elise! Well...I feel better at least,"

"You seem awfully happy, what's up?"

"It's just...well I started first grade and it's been so incredible! My teacher is so fantastic! He's a monster from Japan and he's so smart! It's like he knows everything, and he doesn't put up with any nonsense and he's just...I just love having him as a teacher!"

"Oh wow! Hang on...okay, I had to take a moment to absorb that!"

"Sorry, I just get excited when I talk about hi...I mean when I talk about school!"

"Uh huh...so I take it you're doing well in school?"

"Of course! I'm at the top of the class! Last Wednesday we had a pop quiz in math and I was the only person who got a perfect score...Uka-sensei gives some really hard tests, too!"

"I'm very proud of you! You almost seem like your old self now!"

"I...really? You th-think so?"

"I do, you just don't know how happy I am to see you like this,"

"Oh well, thanks...but I mean it's not like everything is great...I'm doing really well in school and I'm Uka-sensei's best student but uh..."

"I'm guessing your classmates are still...a bit harsh?"

"That's putting it mildly..."

"I bet...I've heard about your teacher, he sounds tough. They probably don't like that you're his favorite,"

"Yeah, but it's alright! It doesn't matter because Uka-sensei likes me the most! Oh man, that sounds horrible doesn't it?"

"Well, it's true isn't it? You are his favorite student,"

"Of course I am!"

"No need to yell, Blossom,"

"I'm the smartest student, I get the best grades, I actually pay attention, and I actually like him! Of course I'm his favorite,"

"You sound like you like him a lot,"

"W-Well i-it's just...just I...well he's an amazingly intelligent educator! Maybe he's a bit harsh, but it's a cultural difference. Do you know how hard it is for a monster, a foreign monster even, to get a job in Townsville? It's criminal how prejudiced Townsville is against humanoid monster citizens,"

"Well in Townsville's defense, the non-humanoid monsters do regularly knock the city apart,"

"Most of them are just doing it for a chance to fight my sisters."

"What about you?"

"I don't fight monsters anymore...because of this bracelet I'm not strong enough anymore,"

"I'm so sorry, I know you love fighting crime,"

"Yeah, but it's alright. Buttercup wouldn't listen to my advice anyway if I did help them fight monsters. At least there's only been a couple monsters since I had to put this thing on again..."

"You sound disappointed?"

"..."

"Blossom, be honest with me,"

"Well...I don't even know why I keep helping them. Buttercup doesn't listen to my advice, Bubbles doesn't talk to me, and I can't even fight most of our supervillians!"

"Yes, I remember what happened between you and Sedusa,"

"It's selfish, I know, I'm just frustrated by this powerless feeling. I don't want my sisters to get hurt..."

"I'm glad you're thinking about this rationally,"

"I always think rationally!"

"Oh I know, I've always admired that. It's rare to find in this city. I'm just worried you'll let what happened cloud your judgment. Don't forget who you really are,"

"I won't, Dr. Elise,"

"Alright, well I think our time is about up. It was very nice seeing you, I hope you stay happy. You're so much prettier when you smile,"

"Thank you, Dr. Elise,"

"And listen, Blossom, try not to make your classmates too jealous. I know, it feels good being the favorite and you can't help that he favors you. But, maybe you shouldn't flaunt it,"

"I never flaunt it!"

"Alright, I believe you. Just try to be careful, I don't want you making enemies you don't deserve,"

"I'll be careful, Dr. Elise, I promise.

"Alright. I'll talk to you next week. Goodbye, Blossom,"

"Goodbye, Dr. Elise,"


	38. Aku and Blossom's First Sunday Together

"_**Have you ever been in love?**_

_**He's my best friend, best of all best friends**_

_**Do you have a best friend too?**_

_**It tickles in my tummy, he's so yummy yummy!**_

_**Hey, you should get a best friend too!"**_

**Best Friend (Toy-Box "FanTastic")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 8**

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, even nicer now that she was out of Dr. Elise's office. She was so excited, Blossom couldn't help the spring in her step. The sun was shining, there was a comfortable breeze blowing across the city, and best of all, she had the entire day to herself. Blossom took a deep breath and sighed happily, plopping down on a stoop and staring up at the sky.

Normally, the Professor drove her to and from her meetings with Dr. Elise. Today, however, he was swarmed with work, so Blossom had opted to simply fly herself there and back again. Overprotective parent that he was, the Professor still relented. Blossom grinned and stretched, yawning.

"It's such a great day...I wonder what I should do? Oh! I bet I can finish my book today!" Blossom's grin was so great, it was almost painful. She leapt to her feet and jogged blissfully down the sidewalk. There was no real hurry...but the prospect of curling up in the hammock in the backyard with a nice big book was just too exhilarating to let her dillydally. As she raced down the sidewalk, ducking and dodging around the few people who didn't jump out of her way, Blossom could feel eyes watching her.

The Powerpuff girl narrowed her eyes and slowed to a walk. Taking a deep breath, she swung around! The sidewalk behind her was empty. Blossom crossed her arms; someone was definitely watching her. Blossom whipped around again! Again, she was greeted by emptiness. Blossom swallowed and took a step back. She froze, hearing soft footsteps just behind her. Blossom clenched her fists, forcing her power to the pathetic limit her bracelets allowed...and whipped around!  
"What the..." Blossom blinked and stared down at the cute little black cat staring up at her. She cocked her head to the side, slowly raising her eyebrow. The kitty's eyebrows were on fire, and his face was sickly green.

"Aku? Is that you?" Blossom knelt down as the black cat sauntered up to her, grinning from pointy ear to pointy ear.

"How very observant of you, child! Yes, it is I, the great and powerful, Aku!" Blossom's cheeks heated up, her chest fluttered. A goofy, wiggly grin spread across her face. Aku blinked and took a step back.

"Aww! You're the cutest kitty ever!" Blossom scooped Aku into her arms and hugged him tight, stroking his silky black fur. Aku's tongue hung out his mouth and purred wildly, stretching his long legs out. Blossom giggled when Aku suddenly tensed and pulled away from her.

"Desist from such humiliation, Blossom! I may have taken this form, but I am still deserving of respect!" Blossom giggled, blushing bright pink. Against Aku's better wishes, she couldn't resist petting him again.

"So what should I call you, sweet little kitty, kitty?" Aku purred again, arching his back. He blinked and growled, pulling away from Blossom and sauntering a few steps away. Blossom giggled again, sitting down, curling her legs beneath her, while she watched him prowl.

"Ah yes! What is in a name? Feast your eyes upon the glory and MAJESTY of the almighty...Neku-sama!" Aku grinned, his eyebrows flickering. Blossom's cheeks heated up more and she collapsed in a fit of giggles. Neku-sama narrowed his eyes and strutted over to her, hopping on her chest and glaring her right in the eye.

"You find Neku-sama funny, child?" Blossom shook her head, laughing out loud as she hugged him again. This time, Neku-sama nuzzled her back.

"Of course not! You're so adorable...little Neku-chan!" Aku yowled and tore away from her, snarling and glaring at her, his cheeks turning bright red as she laughed louder.

"It is Neku-sama! Neku-sama! I am not some precious baby creature for you to coddle!" Blossom sat up, smothering her laughter and petting Neku-chan's head again.

"Okay, okay, I won't patronize you...Neku-chan," She snickered; Neku-chan merely glared at her. Much as she wanted to continue tormenting the cute little cat, Blossom climbed to her feet and strolled off down the sidewalk, Neku-chan right on her heels.

"Who was this woman you met with?" Blossom folded her hands behind her back, looking down at Neku-chan.

"That was Doctor Irena Elise, she's my...um...my therapist..." Her voice trailed off; Neku-chan narrowed his eyes and snorted.

"A doctor? Why do you need a doctor, child? Surely there is nothing wrong with you," Blossom sighed and tilted her head back and forth. The sky was a silky blue, bright, cloudless and so inviting. She sighed again, staying earthbound.

"She's a therapist...I um...after you disappeared, it's...well her job is; I mean, the Professor thinks," Blossom huffed and came to a sudden stop, hands on her hips. Neku-chan raised a fiery eyebrow and glanced up at her. Uncomfortable as she was, his expression was too adorable to not grin.

"She's supposed to help me deal with the issues...that caused me to...work for you," Neku-chan blinked. Blossom sighed and plopped down next to him, resting her chin in her hands.

"It's really not that bad, I've enjoyed talking to her. She doesn't judge me like everyone else...she seems like she actually cares," Neku-chan growled, protectively rubbing against her leg.

"She, like they, assumes that there is something wrong with you," Blossom nodded and stroked his fur. It was a strange and slick, more like vinyl than fur really.

"Well, yeah but I can't really tell anyone that. If I did, they'd be gunning for me again," She noticed his confused expression and corrected herself, "The angrier citizens wanted me to be executed for my crimes against humanity," Neku-chan snorted and laid down, yawning.

"As if they had the power to accomplish such a task," Blossom smiled and laid back. Their wandering had led them by the park. She must have gotten side-tracked while talking, they were no where near the Pokey Oaks suburbs. Blossom yawned and closed her eyes. She felt Neku-chan curl up closer to her and smiled.

They laid like that for God only knew how long. The day rolled by slowly, a warm gentle breeze dancing along the fresh cut grass of the restored Townsville Central Park. Children screamed and laughed in the distance—thankfully far enough away—dogs barked and parents chattered eagerly. At some point, Neku-chan climbed onto Blossom's chest; the little girl happily snuggled him closer. Even in this form, he still smelled sweetly of fire and ash; his fur was impossibly warm, his purrs were deep, like the Earth snoring. Blossom took a slow, deep breath and let out a big, content sigh, closing her eyes.

* * *

"Child?" Blossom groaned and rubbed her eyes, slowly sitting up. She yawned and looked down at the black cat sitting in her lap.

"Neku-chan? What time is it?" Neku-chan glowered, scampering off her lap.

"It is nearing mid-afternoon, you dozed off, Blossom," Blossom nodded and climbed to her feet, brushing off her bottom and stretching, "So what shall we do now, child? There is still much time left before you are required to return home," Blossom froze, eyes now wide open. What was there to do? She still wanted to read her book, but...that wouldn't be fun for Aku, would it? She definitely wanted to spend more time with him, that was for sure. Blossom lowered her arms and fixed her stare on the grass, avoiding Neku-chan's gleaming eyes. What did people do with the people they really liked? What did...boyfriends and girlfriends do?

"Um...we c-could..." An image flashed in her head; she felt sick at her stomach, but at the same time...it was true, right? "Go to...the mall...yeah! We could um...go walk around the mall, or something..." Blossom turned to Neku-chan, only to find Uka-sensei standing over her, hands shoved in his dark pockets. Blossom's face turned red as a tomato, she could almost feel the steam pouring off her cheeks as she quickly looked at the grass once more.

"The mall...this is some kind of...establishment for social gathering?" Blossom pushed her hair away from her face and bit her lip. She honestly didn't understand the fascination with the mall herself, but past experience definitely showed that it was where couples hung out...

"Um...yeah! It's something like a collection of stores but yeah! People go there to hang out all the time!" Uka-sensei stroked his beard. The way he looked at her...it was like she was the authority on anything relating to modern times. She blushed brighter and looked down once again.

"Very well, let's go, Blossom," Blossom nodded and led him back through the city. Uka-sensei stayed quiet, walking just a few steps behind her. It was nearing rush hour, she was afraid they'd have to push their way through the crowds. Much to her surprise—she grinned despite herself—the people moved to make way as she and Uka-sensei crossed the sidewalk. She couldn't tell if it was fear of Uka-sensei...but she knew for a fact it was for fear of her.

"So um...here it is!" Blossom and Uka-sensei stopped just outside the mall, staring up at it—the former in awe, the latter dumbstruck. Uka-sensei started toward the mall, catching the flabbergasted Powerpuff girl by the hand and leading her inside. The moment his fingers closed around her mitt, Blossom's entire body heated up, she gasped and a euphoric sensation shot through her heart. Blossom stifled a squeal and hurried after him, standing bashfully close while they entered.

"Impressive...the way the humans stalk this place...worshiping idols of the heart, giving in to lust and desire! This is..." Uka-sensei stopped and grinned, glaring around the crowd. Blossom only vaguely noticed, she was giddy beyond expression. She tightened her grasp on his hand and looked up. The look on Uka-sensei's face was predatory.

"**Incredible! **Mere mortals have created this world of greed and envy! Look around you, child, bask in the sinful decadence of it all-" Uka-sensei stopped short, sniffing the air. He looked around, spotting the food court near the entrance. Without a word, Blossom hurried toward it, dragging Uka-sensei, who was trying to maintain something resembling dignity.

"Have you had any junk food before? You should try some, it's horrible for you but it usually tastes pretty good!" The pair strolled through the selection, eying the plethora of greasy, heart-clogging food items.

"What is this?" Uka-sensei stopped, eying a hot dog vendor with a raised eyebrow. Blossom stood on her tiptoes to get a better look. She giggled and hovered into the air.

"It's a hot dog, Uka-sensei...you've never had one?" Uka-sensei crossed his arms and glared at the man behind the counter. He swallowed nervously and tried to offer a friendly smile. Uka-sensei glanced at Blossom then back at the vendor.

"You will give us two of these 'hot dogs'," The vendor nodded, now sweating nervously. His gaze kept drifting back and forth between Blossom and Uka-sensei. She couldn't tell which one of the pair made him more nervous.

"Th-That's uh um...it's uh...w-well f-for you h-how ab-about it's uh...on the h-house..?" Uka-sensei snatched the hot dogs, handing one to Blossom. While she sprayed a thin line of ketchup on hers, she stared at Uka-sensei, who was watching curiously. Blossom spread some ketchup on Uka-sensei's hot dog, then chomped into hers as the pair walked away. She peered up at her teacher, watching him take his first bite...eating the entire hot dog in one mouthful. Uka-sensei blinked and swallowed slowly, putting his hands in his pockets.

"So um...did you like it?" She asked. In the time it took her to blink, Uka-sensei was gone. Blossom looked around wildly, spotting Uka-sensei practically throttling the hot dog vendor. Blossom nearly choked on her hot dog, smothering her laughter. Uka-sensei came back to her, already on his fourth hot dog. As he walked by, Blossom took a risk and grabbed his hand. Uka-sensei had no objections, and once again the two were strolling hand in hand through a sea of frightened expressions and nervous twitches.

"So, you liked it?" Blossom asked as she finally finished hers. Uka-sensei stared at his now empty hand in disappointment. Sighing, the Master of Masters turned to Blossom with an odd glazed look in his eyes.

"Child...never before in all my years have I come across something as vile and deadly as this...this hot dog!" He sighed, licking his lips and staring greedily back at the food court, "And yet, that first glorious bite...surely, this is mankind's greatest creation since my first death," Blossom was hovering in the air next to him, doubled over with laughter. When she caught sight of the wistful expression on Uka-sensei's face, she cracked up yet again. Uka-sensei sighed and slouched miserably.

"You could always just...make your own, you know?" Uka-sensei stood up straight.

"What? The ingredients to prepare the most delicious of all this world's foods is readily available? Why did you not say so sooner?!" Blossom scratched her head sheepishly.

"Sorry, I guess I forgot that you still don't know very much about modern times," Uka-sensei smiled as the two returned to their stroll. He tightened his grip on her hand.

"You shall have to teach me more...Blossom," Blossom grinned and her inside squirmed exquisitely. She turned to Uka-sensei, but stopped and jerked her hand away from him, spying someone fast approaching them.

"Excuse me! Yes, excuse me," Uka-sensei raised an eyebrow and turned to the newcomer. Blossom spotted her classmate, Molly Beware, straggling along behind with her father. Her mother was toe to toe with Uka-sensei, who seemed largely unimpressed with the admittedly well-dressed woman now glaring at him.

"Yes, you're Mr. Uka, correct? I'm sorry to bother you, but my daughter is in your class," Uka-sensei glanced at Molly, who looked like she'd give anything to just crawl into a hole and disappear, and then glanced at her father, who was wearing a similar expression.

"Yes...Molly Beware, she is one of my pupils," Mrs. Beware straightened up, sparing at glare toward Blossom. She managed to smile halfheartedly—it took all of her will-power to force away a momentary snarl—before turning to Molly. Molly stared hard at her, torn between anger and confusion. Blossom just offered yet another half-smile and shrugged.

"Mr. Uka, I'm sorry to confront you like this, but...is it true that you threw a book at my daughter?" Molly turned three shades of red and Uka-sensei stroked his beard, grinning wickedly.

"I may have...I must admit, I wasn't aiming," Mrs. Beware gasped; her daughter and husband both flinched.

"You...I am going to report you to the school board!" Uka-sensei waved his hand, and shoved both hands in his pockets.

"I have already spoken with Principal Derry regarding the way I run my classroom. Your opinion does not matter to Uka...human," That was the nail on the head. The entire Beware family stared in horror as Uka-sensei sauntered off. He paused for a moment, turning to Blossom.

"Are you coming? Come, I have been eying those frozen beverages, they look most enjoyable," Blossom hurried by the Bewares, keeping her eyes down. She just prayed they didn't see her laughing.


	39. Aku's Rival

"_**Let me take you head on into a mistake**_

_**you never thought you'd ever make like a crash.**_

_**You better pray you live to see another day**_

_**after the way I'm gonna punish your ass"**_

**I Wanna Be Your Man (EndeverafteR "Kiss or Kill")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 9**

"Here I come, ready or not!" Blossom grinned and adjusted her stance on the limb of the bushy tree she was carefully tucked away in. Immediately below, Boomer turned away from the tree, looking around with wide-eyed excitement. He hurried off, leaving Blossom behind trying to stay quiet. Still, it was hard to keep a straight face. Her eyes glowed softly, keeping a close watch on the little blond boy. She had to time it just right, or he'd spot her for sure. Blossom bite her tongue, clutching the acorn in her hand tighter. With incredible accuracy, she threw the little nut through the branches, knocking it against the side of Boomer's head.

"Yeow! Hey! I saw that! I've got you now!" As planned, Boomer whipped around and started toward the tree. By the time he was peering up at the branches, Blossom was already gone, now hiding near the Merry-Go-Round. Blossom grinned and stifled a giggle. Her joy was cut short, realizing that she had been spotted. No, not by Boomer, but by one of his far less friendly brothers. Butch glared hard at Blossom from his place at the swing set. He kept pushing Bubbles, who swung and giggled happily, unaware of the glare her new best friend was sending toward her estranged sister.

'Don't look at me like that you...' She started to think, quickly perishing the thought. Blossom turned around again, only to see Boomer standing next to her. While Bubbles was thankfully oblivious to the situation, Boomer was not. He stared at his brother wearing a look...not befitting Boomer in the least. In fact, for a moment Blossom thought she was seeing things.

"Is he...do you want me to make him stop?" Blossom blinked, staring hard at Boomer. He didn't look at her, following his eyes she realized he was glaring at Butch. The green-eyed ruff was returning the glare, though, for some reason, he looked nervous. Blossom crossed her arms. Butch was more wary of Boomer?

"No it's okay...come on let's go somewhere else," Blossom grabbed Boomer's hand and the two walked away. She cautiously glanced up at the school building, spotting her room. For a moment, she caught sight of a pair of gleaming red eyes. Blossom blushed and grinned.

"What's wrong?" Blossom turned to Boomer, suddenly realizing that she was squeezing his hand. She just giggled and shook her head; Boomer smiled

"I was just thinking about someone," Boomer nodded, looking around cautiously. He leaned closer.

"You mean Aku?" He whispered. Blossom blushed bright red and nodded, giggling again.

"Uh huh...how did you know?" Boomer chuckled and scratched his head.

"Well uh...he's your teacher isn't he?" Blossom nodded. The two sat down on the pavement, leaning against the school house. Blossom leaned her head back, her hair falling over her face, shielding her questioning gaze from view.

"How did you know?" Through folds of bright orange hair, she saw Boomer's confused expression. The blue ruff shrugged and started scraping his foot across one of the chalk drawings on the pavement. Boomer had some kind of sick fascination with defacing artwork of any kind, Blossom noticed.

"I'm not supposed to?" Blossom shrugged, sitting up. She pulled her knees up to her chest and watched Boomer continue his prejudiced destruction of what was once a kitten—or possibly a puppy, whoever the artist was, she didn't have a very good grasp on...drawing—with a bemused smirk.

"No one but me noticed before. I thought it was a pretty good disguise," Boomer nodded, sitting back and yawning.

"I guess so," He said half-heartedly. Blossom bristled. Aku's disguise was brilliant, he had all of Townsville fooled. Then again...Townsville had never been the brightest community. Blossom settled down, her snarl slowly turning to a smile, which was eventually broken by a peal of giggles, which, in turn, became a burst of laughter. Boomer grabbed her shoulder. Seeing the concerned look on his face made Blossom laugh even harder.

"What?! What is it?!" Blossom wiped her eyes and tried to settle down. But the moment she caught sight of Boomer's expression, she lost control again. As the bell started to ring, Blossom was still wracked with laughter too strong to get off the ground. Boomer helped her to her feet and the two started toward the big metal doors.

"What's so funny?" Boomer asked again. Blossom giggled and sighed, giving Boomer a tight squeeze. Boomer paused, then returned the embrace. Blossom coughed, the air forced out of her.

"Ugh, sorry, it's not your fault, Boomer. The irony is just killing me," Realizing they had fallen behind, the two hurried inside. As they parted ways, Blossom heard Boomer calling back.

"What's that mean?!" She couldn't help losing it again, stifling wild giggles as she entered dear old Room A11-21. She waved cheerfully at Uka-sensei as she entered. Uka-sensei...he only glared back, his face partially hidden behind his laced fingers. Blossom paused, tilting her head in concern. Uka-sensei simply glared back.

"Take your seats, we have much to discuss," Blossom swallowed nervously, sitting down. She, again, tried to give Uka-sensei a smile, but he remained as stony-faced as ever. The bell rang once more. Silence fell over the classroom, even the most rebellious students too terrified to speak. Uka-sensei slowly climbed to his feet, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Though he leveled his fiery gaze on the class as a whole, Blossom knew that it was directed at her. She swallowed hard, her chest tightening violently. What had she done?

"So...this is the nature of the human specimen, is it not? Flee from those who express true power, cower in the embrace of the foolish and weak," Blossom blinked in confusion. She had no clue what he was talking about, which meant the rest of the class was completely lost. Uka-sensei snorted and began to stalk the front of the room, his head low, his hands fidgeting. One moment they were clasped behind his back, the next they were clenched at his sides.

"Miserable, pathetic creatures! You claim belonging to one, yet turn around and in an instant seek out refuge in the presence of another! Have you no spine? Have you no self control? Petty emotions! Pitiful flighty fancies of the heart! A wretched, tragic vessel, betraying the deepest of bonds, lying to the face of greater creatures without a single tear shed!" Blossom blinked, nearly screaming when Uka-sensei slammed his hands down on his desk, his blood red hair falling over his face. His red eyes, now glowing viciously, shined beneath the veil of crimson locks. One brave—in a world where bravery equated stupidity—student must have raised his hand, because Uka-sensei's penetrating snarl turned away from Blossom with snake-like speed.

"U...Uka-s...sensei...wh-what what do you...what is this a-about?" Normally, murmurs of agreement would follow. But even straining her super hearing, Blossom couldn't hear a single peep from the students behind her. Uka-sensei's expression, against any hinge of possibility, darkened deeper.

"And so it rears its head!" Everyone in the roomed jumped, a few of the more easily frightened children screamed as Uka-sensei's fist again hit the desk. There were several terror-stricken moans when he pulled his hand away, trickling splinters to the floor.

"The greatest ally of the human mind, pure, blissful ignorance! How fitting that you should ask, as if the nature of Uka's wisdom matters to one of such meager comprehension! You walk to the brink of death itself only to have pitiful humanity rear up and slap you in the face! The bloodiest of hearts means nothing to you, does it? Shake your head! Rattle the empty confines, and declare your deceitful ignorance before Uka! Spiteful, fragile meekling! Run, flee from me, seek out similar weaklings! Similar creatures of utter loathsome fragility and misery! Isn't that the nature of your bitter little brood? Is that not the world into which you were born?!" The room had fallen into unsteady silence again. Blossom swallowed hard, taking a chance to look around. Bubbles sat with wide eyes, trembling as Uka-sensei continued pacing the room. Buttercup...Buttercup had her eyes narrowed—she was looking for an excuse to fight Uka-sensei. Blossom sneered; Buttercup wouldn't stand a chance against Aku...not this time. Blossom steeled her nerves and slowly turned back to the front of the room.

"Uka-sensei," Uka-sensei's glare snapped around, his eyes glowing in the room—before she hadn't noticed that the lights were all off—as he took a sharp step toward her.

"What is it...**child**," Blossom shuddered; the class gasped at the sudden change in his voice. It was subtle, but she could see his form trembling. Aku was having trouble maintaining the disguise.

"What...are you upset about?" Uka-sensei growled and turned to the blackboard. The room filled with the smell of smoke. Blossom quickly covered her mouth. His eyebrows were burning, she could just barely see it. Uka-sensei clenched his fist, digging his fingers into the white board, streaking his nails through it, tearing it apart.

"Upset? Nothing has upset Uka, **child**. No, it is to be expected. Pitiful worthless humanity, it never fails to betray the truth, never fails to turn the master into the slave. Wretched facsimile, abomination in similar form! Pathetic...hateful...**disgusting little fool!**" Uka-sensei slammed his fist against the white board, snapping it in half. Both sides slid off the wall, clanging against the floor, revealing a devastating gash in the wall behind. Everyone sat in shocked silence. In fact, as the bell began to ring, no one moved. Uka-sensei pulled his hand from the gash in the wall and let it fall to his side. Blossom stared in horror, praying no one else saw the appendage. His hand had turned pitch black, his fingers had become vicious talons.

"What are you waiting for? Is that not the tone of your salvation? Are you not free to abandon this monstrosity?" Uka-sensei turned and glared at the class. His horns had changed, two more had grown from the back of his neck, the ones on his head had twisted to a far more familiar shape. His eyes were blazing, his eyebrows were smoking.

"**Get...OUT!" **His shout of fury seemed to break the spell over the class. The students poured out, shoving each other violently trying to escape the burning glare of their enraged instructor. Blossom sat in her seat, staring at him in horror; faintly, she heard her sister telling her to hurry, but she wasn't about to leave, not now. Uka-sensei stood up straight, his left hand clenching and unclenching rhythmically. The moment the last student left, the door slammed shut with a whirlwind fury. The windows slammed shut, and the room plunged into utter darkness. Uka-sensei's eyebrows exploded in towering flames, and his form warped, becoming a massive monster of darkness.

"What did I do!? Wh-why are you so mad?!" Blossom got out of her seat, only to nearly fall back as the monster advanced on her, appearing in front of her in an instant.

"**Do not play ignorance with me! Do not insult my intelligence by insulting your own! You know what you've done, child! I've seen the way you look at him! I've seen the way you touch him, the way you laugh with him! Do not even dare to lie to Aku!"** Blossom narrowed her eyes, hovering up to his eye level.

"What are you talking about!? Who?!" Aku snarled and crossed his arms. A foggy vision appeared in the darkness of the classroom. Blossom became even more confused looking at the figure depicted within.

"Boomer!? You think I...wait, do you think..." Blossom scratched her head, becoming more confused by the second. Aku snarled and swatted away the vision.

** "Is this child not important to you?! Do you not enjoy his presence?! You do not even long for Aku in his company! With this...this...imbecile, you do not even think of Aku!"** Blossom slapped her forehead and glared at Aku. He blinked in confusion, his eyebrows weakening in intensity. He'd never been faced with such a glare, at least not from the child he'd come to think of as his...companion. Blossom put her hands on her hips and continued glaring at him. Aku swallowed and deflated, becoming a more manageable size.

** "W-Will you not speak, child? Do you have-"** Blossom sighed and shook her head.

"I can't believe you, you really think that Boomer is more special to me than you are? Is that what you're getting at? Boomer is my friend, Aku...he's my best friend in the world. But you, you're something...more," She blushed and lowered her gaze. Aku gripped his now throbbing chest, empathy wreaking its toll on his body.

** "Then what am I if not the most important friend to you?**" Blossom sighed and rubbed her arm.

"You're my...my special person. Aku, you don't ever have to be jealous, okay? Look, Boomer...he knows about you. He knows that you're the one who makes me happy, and he's glad you came back! Don't worry, he's on our side, okay?" Aku crossed his arms, the searing pain in his heart slowly fading.

** "I...will...remember this, Blossom..."** Blossom smiled and giggled, looking around the classroom. His powers had been fluctuating more randomly than she'd previously noticed. A few corners of the room were on fire, probably from his eyebrows flaring up. Aku looked around and chuckled, stroking his beard.

** "It would appear I overreacted...hm, perhaps there must be a first occurrence for all things in life,"** Blossom giggled, and shook her head. Aku overreacting was nothing knew...but she wasn't about to tell him that. She caught sight of the clock and sighed. She was going to be late to study with Boomer.

"Aku, I'm going to study with Boomer. We're just studying, okay? He needs my help to get his homework done," Aku frowned but nodded. Blossom smiled and gave him a tight hug.

** "I will speak with you later tonight?" **Blossom nodded and buried her face in his beard, taking a deep breath.

"Yeah...yeah I'll talk to you later. And don't worry...no one will ever replace you, okay?" Aku nodded, staring wistfully as she pried open the door—he had unintentionally welded it shut. She glanced back and gave him a parting wave and a smile. Aku sighed and waved in return. Blossom grinned and hurried away from the crime scene. She could already hear the tell-tale sound of Aku's minions appearing to put the room back together. Faintly, she wished she still had that kind of pull...that kind of power.


	40. Uka Meets Ms Keane

"_**Sometimes I wanted to cry **_

_**When the people on TV were not quite the way we were**_

_**Somehow, I guess I just knew**_

_**But I didn't know I'd love you so much"**_

**I Didn't Know I'd Love You So Much ("Repo! The Genetic Opera")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 10**

"-but then he punched the wall and the whole marker board fell off! There was this great big hole in the wall!" Blossom raised an eyebrow as she walked into the kitchen, setting her backpack down by her seat. She started to speak up, but Buttercup picked up where Bubbles had stopped.

"Yeah! It was so stupid! I don't know why they even hired him, he's just a dumb monster who hates humans!" Blossom snorted and glared, jerking her chair back violently. The feet scraping the floor caught everyone's attention. Bubbles tensed; Buttercup crossed her arms and glared back.

"Oh look it's the teacher's pet, let me guess you stuck around to talk to Mr. Rawr-Imma-Monster about how much humans suck?" Blossom climbed into her chair and crossed her arms, mimicking Buttercup's stance.

"Of course not! I was just worried about him, and he's not a stupid monster!" Buttercup sneered and Blossom bristled. Mrs. Keane lightly touched Blossom's shoulder, quelling her budding fury. Blossom simply stuck her nose up and huffed.

"He happens to be one of the smartest citizens in all of Townsville! You're just prejudiced against him like the rest of the city!" she stated. Buttercup rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah, I don't have any reason to hate monsters! It's not like they used to destroy the town every other day!" Buttercup pointed out. Blossom glowered and got pink in the face.

"He's a Monstro-American! He's not a feral monster like the ones that come from Monster Island!" The Professor took a puff of his pipe, drumming his fingers on the table.

"That may be true, Blossom, but the ban on Monstro-Americans holding public positions was only recently lifted. Whatever his real intentions, if your teacher hopes to avoid conflict, he should try to avoid stirring up old conflicts," Blossom groaned and slapped her forehead.

"Why is it his fault? What about the students and other teachers always calling him 'Monster' to his face? What about the downright biased attitude this entire city has against his ethnic group?" The Professor wore a bemused smile—Blossom bristled—and Buttercup just rolled her eyes. Bubbles seemed withdrawn, moreso than usual. For the first time in months, she and Blossom made eye contact for longer than a split second. Blossom shook her head and put her hands on her hips.

"It's no wonder Monstro-Americans are hostile toward humans, they aren't treated like the citizens they are! This is exactly the kind of behavior the civil rights movement was fighting against, Americans being mistreated because of their ethnicity!" Buttercup groaned out loud and threw her hands in the air.

"He's a monster! They eat people!" she shouted. Blossom stood up in her chair, suddenly, and thrust her mitt at Buttercup.

"He would never do something like that! And that's more than you can say about some humans!" She screamed. The Professor stood up, stopping the fight before it could escalate.

"That's enough, no more yelling, you two. Now...it's true that Townsville isn't the most accepting community in the world, but Mr. Uka shouldn't go out of his way to test the limits of its people. Some wounds haven't exactly healed yet, he needs to be careful about what he says," Blossom huffed and sat back in her chair, rolling her eyes. How could they possibly understand what it was like to be persecuted for something out of your control? How hard it was to be persecuted just for telling the truth?

Blossom snapped out of her train of thought when Ms. Keane spoke, breaking the tense silence.

"I mentioned it before, but I think I will talk to him. He may be having trouble with integration into human society, it's a bit of a culture shock," Blossom sat up furiously, looking bewildered.

"What?! You don't need to do that Ms. Keane, really! Uh...I'll talk to him! I'm sure he'll listen to me!" Ms. Keane chucckled and patted Blossom's back. Blossom had broken out into a cold sweat, her eyes wide and mouth agape.

"It's alright, Blossom, I helped Mr. Green with his integration process, I'm sure Mr. Uka and I can find some common ground," She smiled, but Blossom continued to stare back blankly. She swallowed and shook her head.

"I really don't think that's a good idea," she mumbled. The Professor put out his pipe, patting Bubbles on the back. The blonde remained as silent as ever.

"Why is that, Blossom?" He asked. Blossom swallowed and looked down.

"W-well...he...might get mad at us if our uh...mom goes to complain about him. He's very...defensive about his classroom conduct," Ms. Keane and the Professor both laughed. Blossom's face turned bright red; she looked up at Ms. Keane pleadingly.

"Blossom, I'm not going to tell him that its your fault I'm talking to him. I'll be speaking with him as one teacher to another, not as a parent to a teacher," Blossom swallowed and lowered her head again. She wanted to argue, but this looked like one situation she couldn't persuade in her favor. As the others began to discuss more pressing matters: dinner, how the day went for the two adults, plans for the weekend, Blossom's mind worked frantically. How was she going to get out of this mess?

How could she keep them both safe, without hurting either of them?

* * *

"And so, as you can see, it was the folly of these pitiful creatures in accepting the company of the European fools," Uka smirked and stood back, observing the notes on the board with sadistic glee. Blossom swallowed hard, sitting on the edge of her seat. She had no clue when it was going to happen...but it was supposed to happen today. She hadn't slept at all the night before, and it was only by genetic perfection that she was able to look halfway decent for class.

"Um...Uka-sensei, was it really their fault?" Uka chuckled and flipped through his history book, sitting down at his desk.

"Of course, child. They regarded these pale skinned fools as gods, and suffered rightfully so for their idiocy. Had they deserved to persist, they'd have realized the pale-skinned conquerors were simply more weak humans," Uka twitched in annoyance as the bell suddenly rang. Blossom swallowed hard, staying put in her seat while the others hurried to lunch. Uka closed his book and stared at her expectantly.

"Is there something that troubles you, Blossom? You are required to attend lunch, are you not?" Blossom nodded and tried to find the words to say. She sighed and put her books away, grabbing her lunch sack. She looked back at Uka as she started through the door. He merely smiled and began to shift into his true form. She continued to stare at him as the door shut on its own and the lights within the room dimmed.

"Good job, Blossom...just stare at him like an idiot..." She sighed and stalked off to the cafeteria. Maybe Boomer could help her think of a way to stop Ms. Keane from talking to him? Maybe...if he did it wouldn't be so bad. Blossom shuddered and shook her head. She wasn't sure she could bear it if she was wrong.

* * *

"Boomer! Over here!" Boomer scurried over to Blossom, who was standing near the school house, peering up to the second floor. She could see the window to her room. She could feel Aku on the other side. She sighed and looked down at her feet. Should she do this? She'd more than likely get in trouble for using her powers, but at the same time she just had to know what was going on.

"What is it? Hey! It's your turn to be it!" Blossom rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm. Boomer blinked and settled down.

"Not today! This is more important! I need to um...I need to..." She bit her lip. What was she doing? Spying sounded so bad, but it wasn't something bad, not this time. She just wanted to make sure everyone was safe, right? "I need to fly up there and peak in on Aku to make sure he's alright, I think someone might be trying to figure out who he is," Boomer gasped and nodded. Blossom smiled and started to float into the air, looking around carefully.

"Keep an eye out okay? If a teacher starts looking this way, let me know!" Boomer nodded and turned to keep a look out. Blossom smiled and floated to the window. She gasped; she was already there! Blossom swallowed and hit around the corner, peaking into the room as subtly as she could. She strained her ears, supersonic hearing pealing away the layer of concrete and glass, making their voices clear as day.

"So you've come to speak with Uka, is that so? To what do I owe this interruption?" Uka folded his fingers and glared at the short kindergarten teacher. Ms. Keane giggled and leaned against his desk. She seemed strangely calm given the glare Uka-sensei had fixed on her. Blossom shuddered; there was no way this could end well.

"My name is Cassandra Keane, I'm from Pokey Oaks Kindergarten. I've heard about you from a few of my past students and well, just decided I'd like to finally meet the man behind all the mystery!" Uka-sensei narrowed his eyes, glaring at the window, Blossom ducked away, praying her hadn't seen her. He snorted and looked at Ms. Keane once more.

"Is this so? What have they told you? How Uka is unfair? How Uka terrifies them in their sleep? I can scarcely imagine anyone speaking well of Uka, I am most unpopular among my students," His deep baritone was so confident, so blunt. Blossom blushed and shivered, grinning while she listened to him. Ms. Keane giggled again and shook her head.

"Oh I've heard a lot of negatives, I won't lie. But, I have to say you aren't as scary as they made you seem," Uka-sensei raised an eyebrow and slowly climbed to his feet. He dwarfed Ms. Keane, to say the least. Ms. Keane nodded and stood up straight as well. Uka-sensei began to stalk the room, eying the petite teacher.

"You do not find Uka imposing? Frightening? Most who lay eyes upon a monster of Uka's stature are stricken with horror," Ms Keane actually laughed in earnest this time; honestly, Blossom had to struggle to not laugh herself. Uka-sensei's head shot up; Blossom had her back pressed against the side of the building, panting. She had just missed getting caught.

"Mr. Uka—would you prefer Uka-san, by the way—there's no need to act so stiff. I've worked with many Monstro-Americans before, I'm actually a certified integration specialist for the state's school district," Uka-sensei paused and stroked his beard, one hand slipping into his pocket.

"I've heard of such positions...your duty is to aid monsters, such as myself, in the process of fitting into human society?" Ms. Keane nodded and Uka-sensei snorted, turning to the new white board and folding his hands behind his back.

"I've lived among humans for more years than you've seen, Ms. Keane, I need no aid in 'fitting in', as I have no desire to do so," Ms. Keane nodded.

"Oh I'm sure! That isn't why I'm here, I think you're doing an outstanding job. I've heard nothing but the best about you from one of my old students," Blossom and Uka-sensei both perked up. Uka-sensei turned to look at Ms. Keane, his eyes wide in curiosity.

"A past student?" Ms. Keane seemed to notice the look, her grin brightened.

"Why, yes! If we can keep this private...it would seem you've taken a liken to my favorite student as well," Uka-sensei grinned brightly, stroking his beard and now fully facing Ms. Keane.

"So it is you who is responsible for the Red Child's education? I am impressed...you managed to challenge such a child?" Ms. Keane nodded, throwing a glance toward the window. Again, Blossom was pressed against the building, her cheeks bright red. She didn't want to get caught, but she wanted to hear more!

"Believe me, trying to keep up with a child as bright as Blossom was a challenge. But it never ceased to amaze me just how quickly she learned! Have you tried giving her something new? She just has to see a few examples and," Ms. Keane snapped her fingers. Uka-sensei was leaning across his desk, in rapt attentionm, "Just like that, she'll have it completely figured out!" Ms. Keane sighed longingly and shook her head, wearing a distant smile.

"Yes...this is true, there appears to be no bounds to her intellect..." Uka-sensei muttered. Ms. Keane lightly wiped her eyes, as she continued.

"You really like her don't you?" Uka-sensei nodded shamelessly. Ms. Keane giggled, "She's a fabulous student, if a bit of a perfectionist. And I know, most of the city—really most of the world—may have turned its back on her, after what happened, but...I'm glad I get to be a part of her life. I think she's going to be someone really special some day," Blossom blushed darker, her eyes misting over. At about that moment, a pair of baby-blue eyes met hers.

"Ms. Utonium, get down here this instant!" Blossom nearly screamed, whipping around to spot an angry teacher looking up at her. She sighed and floated to the ground, sulking. The voices had vanished the moment she lost her concentration.

"Just what were you doing, young lady?" Blossom crossed her arms and sighed, staring at the ground.

"Nothing just...um...wondering if Uka-sensei had finished grading our quizzes from Tuesday," The teacher kept a fierce glare fixed on her. Blossom sighed again and kicked her foot, "I'm sorry, it won't happen again,"

"This is your only warning, next time, I'll turn you in to Principal Durry," Blossom nodded, watching the miserable human walk away. She narrowed her eyes, debating the building pressure behind them. Boomer grabbed her hand, snapping her out of her deliberation.

"What was it? Did you find out? Was it bad?" Blossom blinked and looked up at the window. She laughed and shook her head, pulling Boomer toward the playground. They still had enough time for a game of tag at least.

"No actually it was...really...good."

* * *

When Blossom arrived home from tutoring Boomer, she spotted Ms. Keane in the drive way, getting out of her car. She stopped next to her old teacher, staring with watery eyes. Ms. Keane smiled brightly when she saw Blossom, walking with her to the door.

"Good afternoon, Blossom! How was school?" Blossom blushed as she stopped next to Ms. Keane. Without a moment's hesitation, she dropped her backpack and threw her arms around the older woman's waist. Ms. Keane gasped and wrapped her arms around Blossom, laughing sheepishly.

"Is everything alright, Sweetie?" Blossom nodded and sat up, giggling and wiping her eyes. She shook her head and hugged Ms. Keane again, "So why are you crying?" she asked tenderly. Blossom's throat tightened and she hugged her tighter.

"It's n-nothing...I'm just...glad I met you..."Ms. Keane laughed softly; it was a knowing sound. She hugged Blossom tighter and the two stood there like that. The others could wait a little longer.


	41. The Serpent Pt 1

"_**I was out on the radio starting to change**_

_**Somewhere out in America it's starting to rain**_

_**Could you tell me the things you remember about me**_

_**And have you seen me lately?"**_

**Have You Seen Me Lately? (Counting Crows "Recovering the Satellites")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**The Serpent Pt. 1**

Townsville had been quiet...too quiet in fact. The city certainly hadn't descended into its previous state of utter turmoil, but after witnessing the true power of the city's defenders, what criminal in his right mind would think to test the waters? None, that was the honest answer. And yet, it still felt eerie to wake up every morning and go to bed each night, having never heard the Hot Line ring. Then again...since their last encounter with Sedusa, Blossom hadn't gone with her sisters on patrols, let alone gone to answer any cries for help.

To be perfectly honest, what good would she be? The fight with Sedusa had proven that Blossom couldn't keep up anymore. With her power repressed to the extent that it was, she would just prove to be a liability more than anything. Though, it was a curious situation. Why hadn't Sedusa struck again? Maybe she had and her sisters simply refused to tell her. Maybe they were afraid. Sedusa now had powers...frightening powers. Powers granted to her by none other than Chemical X—real, true Chemical X.

How had she gotten a hold of it? The only true Chemical X still in existence...was pumping in the veins of the Powerpuff Girls themselves. It was...terrifying, to think that someone else had access to that kind of power. Someone who couldn't handle that kind of power.

And so...when Sedusa escaped, Townsville fell into a silence, so powerful that even jaywalkers took the time to go to the nearest crossway. The Powerpuff Girls, once active protectors, had become full-time elementary school students. People were, perhaps, starting to forget they were ever heroes to begin with. People were starting to forget to whom they owed their safety.

It had been quiet for far too long...something had to break.

* * *

**"Child, what's troubling you? Blossom?"** Blossom yawned and snuggled closer to Aku, clutching her Devil Blossom doll against her chest. Aku's hand trail down her back, his fingers slipping through her long, silky hair. Blossom shuddered and smiled.

"Nothing, Aku...I'm just thinking," The demon chuckled and continued to lightly caress her back. Blossom yawned again and opened her eyes. The room was dipped in darkness, the only light, the light of the moon, pouring in through the window. It was a chilly night, snuggling with Aku—he was always warm, hot to be exact—was enough to take her mind away from her worries. Aku paused, his hand resting heavily on her side.

**"What is it that has you so preoccupied? Typically, these visits are spent on your vibrant chattering,"** Blossom gasped and sat up, blushing hot red. Aku chuckled; Blossom smiled back sheepishly, brushing her hair away from her face.

"I'm sorry if I talk too much," Aku shook his head and Blossom nodded, continuing, "I guess I'm just wondering...if they've forgotten us yet,"

**"What do you mean, Blossom?"** Blossom shrugged and sighed, laying back down against his side.

"We haven't had to stop any crimes for the longest time...I just wonder where everyone disappeared to," Aku laughed and Blossom smiled. He knew just as well as she did why their rogue gallery vanished off the face of the Earth.

**"Who would dare to challenge you now? They've seen you for the g..."** Aku trailed off; Blossom's breath caught in her throat. He sighed and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. Blossom closed her eyes and nuzzled his bushy beard.

"Goodnight, Aku..." His fingers lightly touched her cheek. She peaked one eye open; the two shared a secretive, knowing smile.

**"Goodnight, Blossom...I wish you luck on your test tomorrow..."** They both laughed softly. She didn't know how long he stayed...but he still held her as she drifted off to sleep. She could still smell his breath as the dream began again. A dream that died a long time ago...a dream best left forgotten. A dream she dreamt, nonetheless.

* * *

Blossom's attention was oddly divided as she stared down at her history test. The room was perfectly quiet, almost like the mere possibility of Uka-sensei's wrath was sucking away the sound, creating a vacuum. Uka-sensei himself seemed uneasy. Normally, the teacher would simply sit and stare at the class, unmoving and unblinking. Whereas Blossom found it flattering, her peers had a tendency to complain about it in private later. Today, though, Uka-sensei sat back in his seat, fidgeting this way and that. A few times, he climbed to his feet and began pacing the front of the room. He could feel it too, something was off.

More than one person screamed when a low, irksome buzz began to ring out from the corner of the room. Every eye turned to the gaudy white phone, the eyes drawn on staring in fearful awe at the classroom. The ruby red nose blinked with every irritating buzz. Blossom turned to Uka-sensei, who looked baffled by the phone—it had never rang before. Thankfully, Buttercup found her nerve and answered the Hot Line.

"Hello, Mr. Mayor? Wh-What's the trouble?" She glanced at Uka-sensei; his eyes narrowed, his fists clenched, it was obvious their teacher wasn't happy about the interruption. Buttercup swallowed nervously and turned back to the phone.

"Uh huh...r-really? Okay, alright! We'll be right there!" Buttercup hung up the phone and whipped around, "Girls, we need to get to the police station! There's something bad going down!" Blossom blinked in confusion. Buttercup sighed and gave her a sharp nod. Blossom nodded and the three hovered into the air. Uka-sensei folded his hands behind his back—though the phone had never gone off before, he seemed to have been briefed on it—and glanced at Blossom.

"Take care, Blossom," Blossom blushed and nodded, hurrying after her sisters. The police station...of all the places in town, she'd assumed that one would have been somewhat safe.

"Did the Mayor say-" Buttercup growled and sped up, cutting Blossom off. Blossom glowered, flying as fast as she could to keep up with her sisters. They arrived at the police station...the facility was a wreck. The doors had been blown away, the ceiling was peppered with holes, and the street was lined with officers and patrol cars—some of the cars beyond repair...some of the officers beyond salvation.

"Oh my gosh..." Bubbles whispered. The three touched down, staring through the gaping doors. The power had been taken out, it was pitch black inside. Blossom took a deep breath and glanced at Buttercup. She was stony-faced...but it was faltering. She was nervous, they were all nervous. They hadn't had a real challenge in a while.

It took a moment, but eventually the three sisters hurried into the police station, glancing around nervously. Monitors were busted, spraying sparks through the air. The lights had been shattered, glass covered the floor...along with several battered bodies. More terrifying than the battered bodies were the statues. Eerily detailed statues of police men and women were careless tossed around the station like cheap toys.

"B-Butterc-cup..."

"Shut up, Bubbles!" Blossom swallowed and peered around. Even her night vision did little to alleviate the sense of horror building. She was here, she'd come out of hiding. Her sisters kept pushing forward, toward the chief's office, Blossom broke from the pack and headed toward the door to the basement. The evidence room...that was the only logical reason. There was something down there she wanted. With her new powers, she didn't have to be subtle anymore.

"-he okay?" Bubbles voice trailed across the distance. Blossom swallowed and turned back to the door. It was cracked open...with only a passing glance back to her sisters, Blossom slipped inside and floated up to the ceiling, following down into the basement. Blossom held her breath—breathing was more of a passtime than a real necessity anyway—and slipped through the door, pressing her back against the ceiling.

More statues, some smashed, some shattered. She was nearby, Blossom could faintly hear the sick sound of her tail, slithering across the floor. There was a green glow coming from the high priority evidence chamber. Blossom floated closer, keeping her eyes and ears peeled for any sign of the monster...though she strained her senses, the only thing she could hear was her own breath. Her own heart blasting against her chest.

"-has to be here somewhere...yes here it is..." The sultry voice chuckled. Blossom swallowed and reached for the door. There was a sudden movement inside—she froze in place. The green glow rubbing against the thick glass window suddenly became darker. She was staring her way.

If the room had been silent before, the sudden, and it was very sudden, lack of anything at all was asphyxiating. Blossom's heart wasn't beating, her blood seemed to have stopped in her veins. Distantly, she realized that something was coming, and on numb legs, threw herself to the side. The door exploded, showering the room in a coat of glass. Blossom sat, hidden in a pile of evidence, her entire body trembling. She didn't dare breath, didn't dare allow her heart to beat. The dark form shot out, looking around with a venomous glowing glare.

"I know you're out here...I can smell you...you can't hide...from...me!" Sedusa lashed out, her claws tearing through the place Blossom had previously been hiding. Blossom pressed her back tight against the ceiling, begging for some kind of escape. Sedusa's sick gaze was searching the room again. There was something tucked under her arm, an unmarked black box. She slipped the tiny package away, Blossom couldn't quite see where, and reared up on her tail. The bright green glow passed over the empty ceiling, searing and melting the thick metal covering.

"Why do you run from me? Heroes don't run...heroes stand and fight...unless, you're saying you're not a hero? I'd be inclined to agree" She snickered, slithering around the room. Blossom pressed herself against the floor as tight as she could. Molten slag rained down from the melting ceiling, but thankfully it provided some kind of audio cover to her movements. She backed up, crawling as slowly as possible.

Sedusa whipped around the corner, just as Blossom ducked under an upturned desk. She was so close now, Blossom could reach out and touch her if she so desired. Her long, black serpentine tail was just beyond the threshold of her cover. Her razor sharp talons scraped the wall just behind her. Sedusa was getting closer...she knw where Blossom was hiding. Sedusa grasped the side of the desk. Her talons were just inches from where Blossom lay curled up, staring tearfully.

"Do you want to know a secret? You'll never get away from meeeee..." Sedusa flipped the desk over, hurling it across the room. She snarled, finding an empty space beneath. The snake whipped around, her emerald green gaze trailing the room at lightning fast speeds. Blossom swallowed and tried to remain perfectly still, her back pressed against a rather large stone officer. Sedusa growled, a high pitched hissing snarl, as she slid closer and closer.

"My new powers...gave me an incredible ability!" Sedusa smashed through the statue; Blossom rolled around the corner, just as a wave of venomous green light washed out, destroying everything in its path. Blossom floated just off the ground, ducking over the top of the shelf between them, just as Seudsa whipped around, slashing the ground where she'd been previously.

"I can smell your Chemical X...I can feel you nearby! You can't ever get away from me, I can follow you to the ends of the Earth! You don't have a chance!" Blossom fell backward, avoiding Sedusa's gaze. Thankfully, she called the villain's bluff and held onto the shelf, flipping herself over the other way and flying quickly to the end of the hallway. Sedusa howled behind her, shooting toward her, slashing through the piles of cops and criminal evidence in her wake. Blossom shot up the stairs, glancing back over her shoulder, just in time to see a wave of green light heading her way.

'NO! I can't let that hit me!' Blossom pushed her speed to its limit, just barely tumbling into the station proper, ducking under the wall of petrifying light. She scrambled forward, snatching a computer monitor and throwing it at Sedusa. The villainess slashed through it and slowly began to advance on Blossom with a gleaming gaze.

"I'm impressed...you managed to get this far," Sedusa giggled and licked one of her claws. Blossom only now realized that it was stained with blood, "I should have known it was you..." Blossom narrowed her eyes and stood her ground, even as the monstrous thief slipped around her. Her tail was long...far longer than Blossom expected. Here, in the open, there was no chance for her to avoid it. Especially not with it circling her so lazily. Hot breath touched her face, but this time Blossom stayed strong.

"What are you doing here? What do you want?!" She hissed. Her sisters would be here soon...then the time for talking would be over. She had to make this quick.

"I had to get something for a friend....don't worry your precious mind over it, it's all for the best," Blossom growled and clenched her fists. Sedusa's talons trailed across her back, her tail slipped around Blossom's legs. Now the two stood face to face. Sedusa's eyes seemed to have stopped glowing so fiercely, her grin had faded. Instead she wore a look of...adoration?

"You're not going to get away with this, my sisters are here, they'll be here any second!" Blossom snapped back. Sedusa snickered and lightly kissed her cheek. Blossom blushed and tried to step back. Her opponent's tail kept her trapped in place.

"You say that like I should be worried about them...I'm not, no. They're no threat," Blossom shook her head and leaned closer to Sedusa, grabbing her by the collar of her torn shirt.

"You've seen what they can do! If they wanted to, they could tear you apart! You're the one who isn't a threat!" Blossom snarled back, glancing anxiously toward the door. Sedusa slowly grinned, tenderly, her tail began to wrap around Blossom, working its way up her abdomen. Sedusa's eyes began to glow viciously once more.

"Perhaps...but they won't risk something happening to their...dear sister, now will they?" Blossom blinked, then screamed when Sedusa's tail crushed her. The door flew open and Bubbles and Buttercup arrived on the scene, battle ready. They gasped and stared at the scene. Sedusa grinned and flexed her claws, holding Blossom up triumphantly.

"Why hello there girls! It would seem you're a little late to the show...I've already claimed my prize, and I managed to get an added bonus!" Sedusa cackled hysterically, holding her claws dangerously close to Blossom. She was helpless, Sedusa was far too strong for her to escape now.

"L-Let her go!" Buttercup shouted, taking a step closer. Blossom moaned and hissed as Sedusa dug a talon into the side of her face, leaving behind a light, but bloody cut.

"Don't move, Leader Girl, or I won't hesitate to turn your dear sister into a just another casualty!" Sedusa spat back. Buttercup growled and started forward again, but Bubbles grabbed her arm and held her back. Sedusa snickered and tightened her hold on Blossom. Blossom gasped, the crushing force driving the stored air from her lungs. Everything faded to a foggy blackness, she could only vaguely hear the negotiations between the monster and her sisters.

"-go! or I swear-"

"-free and don't even-die. I won't-your fault"

The world faded back in, air flooded Blossom's lungs. She sat up coughing and holding her cheek. The cut was stinging badly, but she'd certainly ended this encounter better than the previous one. Buttercup and Bubbles knelt down beside her. The former's concern was tainted by a vicious scowl of defeat. The latter held her mouth, tears sparkling in her bright blue eyes. Blossom wiped the blood off her hand and shakily climbed to her feet.

"She got away..." She stated simply. Buttercup nodded and gestured to the police station. Blossom nodded, swallowing nervously. Sedusa had escaped, and single-handedly destroyed Townsville police force. Now, the Powerpuff Girls really were the only defense the city had.

"So...what do we do?" Blossom blinked and looked at Buttercup. It had been so long since her sister had looked at her that way. She seemed...helpless. She needed someone to save her. She needed Blossom to be there again. Blossom sighed and crossed her arms, tapping her chin.

"I don't...I don't know..." Buttercup sighed and nodded, slouching in defeat. Blossom stared at her, unsure of how to react. Running with the moment, Blossom turned to Bubbles.

"Bubbles, go tell the Mayor what just happened," Bubbles blinked in surprise, but nodded and flew off into the sky. Blossom took a deep breath and slowly let it out, then turned to face Buttercup. She hadn't noticed it before, Buttercup had done a good job of hiding it. She had been crying.

"Are you alright?" Blossom asked. Buttercup shuddered and shook her head, crossing her arms tightly. She kept her head low, but Blossom could see clearly now. The way her chest jerked, the way she sniffed softly. Buttercup rubbed her eyes and stood up straight, glaring at Blossom.

"D-Don't you...don't you ever go off on your own again!" Buttercup jabbed Blossom in the chest, but even that action was weak, forced. Blossom stared at her sister. She was fighting it beautifully, but it didn't stop a stray tear or two from trickling down her cheeks.

"Buttercup, I..." Buttercup shook her head, and hardened her glare. A few more tears.

"Don't you ever...**ever** go off alone again!" Blossom sighed and looked away. Her chest tightened, she crossed her arms and lightly wiped her mouth.

"I...I won't, I promise," Buttercup continued glaring at her. Her arm dropped to her side and the two stood, mirroring one another—arms crossed, heads low, unable to meet the other's eyes.

"C'mon...let's go help, Bubbles explain," Buttercup nodded and, together, they left the scene of the crime.


	42. August 26th, 2001

**August 26th, 2001**

**Patient Name: Blossom Utonium**

_It's been a week since I last saw Blossom...and what a week it's been. Townsville is in a state of utter panic. The entire police force, men and women alike, all murdered in cold blood. I can't imagine how terrifying it must have been for her. She was right there, in the midst of it all. But she's seen worse, hasn't she? I can only hope she doesn't blame herself...we've been making very good progress._

"Blossom, it's great to see you. How have you been? Please, have—there we go, oh my...what happened to your cheek?"

"You can see it?"

"Well, it's very faint, but yes. What happened, Blossom?"

"Sedusa happened. She was trying to intimidate my sisters, so she cut my face,"

"Oh dear! Are you alright?"

"I'm...okay, I guess. I got really lucky. For...for a second I thought I was-"

"Let's not talk about that, okay? Why don't you tell me about school?"

"It was really scary...I thought I was there again. Before, you remember, right?"

"That...mutation that nearly killed you, right?"

"That's right...that was the scariest thing that's ever happened to me. For a moment I thought, I thought I was there again. Ugh..."

"Sweetie, what's wrong? Move your hands, are you hurt? Oh...oh my,"

"I...I'm sorry, I didn't..."

"No, don't apologize...I'm sorry I just looked like that, it was very unprofessional,"

"It's not your fault, Dr. Elise, you were just worried. No, I'm okay, it just hurts sometimes,"

"That's odd...where did you get that scar, Blossom?"

"It's from...that fight,"

"That fight, oh of course. You mean your fight with your sisters?"

"Yeah, Buttercup she did this,"

"I'm surprised it hasn't healed...you have a very powerful healing ability, don't you?"

"Normally, but this cut is different. I don't know how but, it just won't go away and it starts hurting sometimes,"

"I never noticed you holding it, does it hurt worse than usual today?"

"Yeah...I don't know why. I always thought it just hurt when Buttercup and me were fighting,"

"Really? You aren't fighting anymore?"

"..."

"Blossom?"

"I don't know what we're doing now. It was so peculiar...I kind of enjoyed it..."

"What are you talking about?"

"When I woke up—um, Sedusa knocked me out, again—Buttercup was really quiet and...and she asked for me help! She acted like, like I was the leader again! Then she...she was crying,"

"Buttercup was crying? Was it, you know, because of all the police officers? Or maybe she was frightened by Sedusa, if she's as powerful as she seems to be-"

"I don't think it was any of that. I think...I think Buttercup was afraid that I was really going to die,"

"..."

"I thought I was going to die too...Sedusa was crushing me with her tail, she cut my cheek so easily. Buttercup, she...she couldn't do anything. Neither of them could do anything,"

"What did you...say to her?"

"I just, she got mad and yelled at me. She told me to never go off alone again. She's actually...Buttercup came with me today, she's out in the lobby,"

"R-Really? But, I thought she didn't want anything to do with you anymore?"

"Huh?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! Those were your words, Dear! You said Buttercup hated you,"

"Oh, right...well I thought she did. But she was really frightened when she thought I was going to die. I think maybe the helplessness got to her. I'm...I'm happy that she's talking to me again, not just screaming at me,"

"So she's forgiven you?"

"..."

"Has she forgiven you for what happened?"

"I don't think so...I think she's just trying to forget it ever happened,"

"Really..."

"Yeah, I don't blame her though. Some days I want to forget it myself,"

"But you haven't forgotten about it, have you?"

"Of course not! I mean..."

"No it's alright, I shouldn't have pressed you,"

"No that was rude, I'm sorry to yell, Dr. Elise. I haven't forgotten what happened,"

"Do you still dream about it?"

"Sometimes...it's not every night anymore, but when I do, the dreams are always really vivid,"

"Why don't you tell me about the last dream you had?"

"Do we have time?"

"Oh...I think we can make time, don't you?"

"Well, I shouldn't keep Buttercup waiting. You're right, this is important. Okay, the last dream I had was...on Wednesday,"

"What happened Wednesday?"

"Well...that was the day Ms. Keane met Uka-sensei. I was really stressed about it, but they actually got along really well!"

"So, you and Ms. Keane are still very close?"

"I think...I think we're closer than ever now! She was telling Uka-sensei that, that she thought I was special! That I was her favorite student too!"

"You are very special, Blossom! I know you're going through a rough time right now, but I know you'll-"

"Do great things someday...that's what Ms. Keane said! I um...we talked about school that night, and maybe it was just relief that the day was over,"

"Hm? Oh right, your dream. What did you dream about, Blossom?"

"Well it was...the usual dream. Aku and I, we were floating above the Earth. My sisters were dead, the heroes trying to stop us were dead...and we were both so happy. Aku gave me a hug...I gave him a kiss, but then...that's where it changes."

"Changed how?"

"The dream usually ends before we um...before we k-kiss you know...on the...lips,"

"Uh huh, go on,"

"Well this time, before we could kiss, the Earth started...burning. I don't know how to describe it. But it caught on fire and turned red. I looked at Aku, but he was burning, like paper, disappearing! I tried to use my ice breath to put him out, but it didn't work...he burnt up and when I looked at myself...I was the old me again,"

"The old you, so what do you consider, ahem, Devil Blossom?"

"Well that's me, obviously,"

"I just wanted to make sure, everyone else acts like it's someone else,"

"Um, okay...well I was the old me again, but I was back in Townsville! Everything was normal, I was at a podium giving a speech for Powerpuff Girls Day. It was like nothing ever happened,"

"Well that's good, right?"

"...It was so weird though...the Professor was dressed in a white robe and he looked...I don't know, different,"

"Hm, that is strange,"

"Yeah...almost as weird as the sky..."

"Oh wow! We've really gone over our time, haven't we?"

"Hm? I guess so, but it's alright, isn't it? You won't get in trouble,"

"Of course not! No, it's perfectly alright! You're always welcome to stay...'off the clock' if you really want to, Blossom. I'm here for you,"

"Thank you, Dr. Elise. I should probably get back to Buttercup, though. She's probably really bored,"

"If you're sure, take care this week, Blossom. It sounds like it's going to be quite a busy week,"

"Oh I know, but don't worry, I'll be fine!"

"Alright, goodbye, Honey,"

"Goodbye, Dr. Elise!


	43. Blossom's Rival

"_**Wear the grudge like a crown of negativity**_

_**Calculate what we will or will not tolerate**_

_**Desperate to control all and everything**_

_**Unable to forgive your scarlet lettermen"**_

**The Grudge (Tool "Lateralus")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 12**

Blossom woke up that morning with a strange sense of deja vu. It was not necessarily that the day felt like any other before it, or that her surroundings felt any more familiar than usual. No, it was more of a sick foreboding that somehow, the day was going to be one best slept through. Unfortunately, her period of sleeping away such days had long since run out; the little girl had far more important things to do. Sleeping just wasn't that important anymore.

She climbed out of bed, yawning as she let her long orange tresses down, shaking out her hair with a tiny smile on her lips. She caught sight of her reflection and fluffed her hair, sighing. Of all her outward features, her hair had always been her favorite. Long and silky, and shining just the perfect shade of red. Blossom beamed at her reflection, strolling to the bathroom with a hop in her step. Another thing to love about her hair was how **he** adored it. Every night, as she did her homework or read a new book, curled up beside him, his claws always drifted to her hair. Every delicate stroke, every gentle caress let her know.

Blossom giggled, blushing bright red as she quietly shut the door to the bathroom, taking a moment to push in the lock. While the water warmed up, she slid out of her nightie, folding it neatly and setting it aside. Blossom looked herself over, staring at the once perfect reflection in the mirror. She touched her face, trailing her mitt over the scar on her cheek. It was nearly gone. After all, it didn't take a Powerpuff girl more than a couple days to heal a simple scar, even weakened as she was.

She touched her arms; her skin was soft, far softer than her lifestyle should have allowed. It hadn't gained any callous, any leathery texture even after two years of nonstop combat. Her mitts stung, but the Professor had assured her that was natural. Blossom had her suspicions—the same stinging sensation frequently showed up in her feet and on various parts of her face—she could only hope they were right. Her eyes stopped on her chest.

Swallowing, she lightly touched the deep, clean scar running the full length of her body, from her right shoulder to her left hip. That scar hadn't healed...and never would. No one could decipher why, exactly. No, that wasn't the truth. No one wanted to accept why it wouldn't heal. Blossom's eyes narrowed. The universe had something to prove to stupid little girls. How better to punish the Perfect Little Girl than to ruin her perfection?

"Blossom? Are you in there?" the Professor called, knocking on the door. Blossom snapped out of her thoughts, coughing and looking through the thick steam filling the bathroom now. She flipped on the exhaust fan.

"Yes, Professor! I was just about to get in the shower!" She called back, stepping into the hot water. She flipped her hair back, pulling the curtain shut. The water was scalding.

"...Are you sure you wouldn't like a bath, I could always-," Blossom stifled a yawn, tilting her head under the water.

"That's okay, Professor. I think I've outgrown taking baths," There was a brief pause, followed by a muffled acceptance. Blossom sighed, and stared down at her feet. Her hand touched her chest again, tracing the edges of the scar. She and Buttercup weren't fighting...but the scar still burned like they were. The thought of climbing back into bed had never been more enticing.

* * *

"Hey, Buttercup...um...how did you sleep?" Blossom kept her eyes focused on her breakfast, blushing nervously as her sister took her seat opposite her. She chanced a look up, and saw a similar look on Buttercup's face. Conversation had been strained, but civil over the last few days. Bubbles was still quiet as ever, but at least Blossom could trade words with Buttercup without fear of hostility. Instead, there was a perpetual fear of embarrassment.

"Uh...fine...I guess..." She muttered back. Blossom nodded, finishing the last bite. She daintily wiped her mouth, catching a glimpse of the clock. Still time...

"That's...good, well I'm going to go bye!" Blossom jumped up from her seat, only slowing to grab her backpack before running out. Blossom rubbed her eyes as she made her way to school, weaving in between buildings, keeping her eyes peeled on the streets below. As a result of Sedusa's attack, the entire city was on red alert. The Powerpuff Girls, all of them, were on call every hour of the day. Needless to say, Uka-sensei hadn't reacted positively to the idea of his class being interrupted—Blossom liked to imagine it was more the idea of losing his girlfr-favorite student—but there was little he could do after the executive mandate straight from the Mayor's office.

Thankfully, the morning was running slower than usual. Blossom nodded and did a quick sweep around Townsville Elementary. Nothing out of the ordinary, except a partially obscured car near the administration office. She narrowed her eyes and paused.

Blossom touched down on the front steps and hurried inside. She'd grown used to the eerie silence in the school before regular business hours. It had become almost soothing. She smiled cheerfully, spotting her classroom coming up fast ahead. She paused, noticing Principal Durry speaking with Uka-sensei. As per usual, the former's stern expression paled in comparison to the latter's irritation. Blossom quickly ducked around the corner, trying to catch the end of their conversation.

"-very well, I will accept her. But do not expect me to accommodate her late arrival," Uka-sensei growled. Blossom blushed and sighed. Principal Durry was less moved.

"You will do what you are told, Mr. Uka," Blossom narrowed her eyes, quickly coming back to reality. Clenching her fists, she peeked around the corner. Principal Durry was on her way back to the administration office, Uka-sensei was leaning against his door frame, snarling to himself. He instantly looked up, a dark smile playing at his lips spotting Blossom.

"You would do well to be more subtle in your eavesdropping, child. You were most obvious," Blossom rolled her eyes, following right on his heels as they slipped into the classroom.

"I wasn't eavesdropping! I just happened to stumble on your conversation with the principal...then I just didn't want to interrupt," Uka-sensei chuckled, leaning against his desk and crossing his arms. Blossom took her seat, taking a moment to primp her hair—and draw attention to it. The plan succeeded, Uka-sensei cocked his head and walked closer. He lightly held her chin, moving her head to get a better look.

"Mm..." Blossom swallowed. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her cheeks were burning. Her ponytail wasn't anything special...but she had put quite a bit of time and effort into getting the braid just right. Uka-sensei smiled, patting her head. Blossom beamed and giggled.

"It looks wonderful, Blossom," She leaned forward on her mitts, watching him stroll back to his desk. She blinked and stared blankly when he broke the hanging silence.

"I do wonder why you try so hard, though...you have always struck me most...appealing without all the needless what's the word..." Uka-sensei paused, rapping his claws on the white board, "_rouhi_..." He mumbled before walking to the door. Blossom ran her mitt through her hair, racking her brain to translate.

The day started to come alive. Students poured into the building, blabbing about the night before, complaining about homework, and dreading approaching tests and sack lunches. The threshold to A11-21 seemed to be some kind of sound absorbing barrier. The moment those students passed into the hallowed classroom, they clammed up, gazing fearfully at the teacher standing rigidly by the door. Watching his prey, eying his class like a gargoyle. Blossom chanced a small wave when her sisters entered. Buttercup rewarded her with a half-smile, but Bubbles only blushed and hurried to her seat. Blossom sighed and shook her head. At long last, the eight o'clock bell rang, and the door slammed shut. Uka-sensei, hands stuffed in his pockets, strolled to the front of the room. His previously stoic expression had deteriorated into loathing.

"Pass your homework forward...we shall be having yet another student join us today. You will, on your own time, do your part to advance her to the level you have, in the most optimistic cases, achieved," There were a few mumbled agreements and a few hushed insults, but the question that seemed most muttered breathlessly was 'Who is the new student'? Blossom nodded to the unspoken question. New students were a rare occurrence, very few people moved to Townsville. None had done so since that day. The most logical assumption was an old student returning.

Uka-sensei snatched the stacks of paper from the front rows. Blossom gave him an extra bright grin as he passed by; his only response, a subtle smirk. Throwing the papers down on his desk, Uka-sensei folded his hands behind his back and proceeded to simply glare at the white board. No one spoke, no one dared move. After a tense period of silence, nearing almost ten minutes, Uka-sensei's head sharply turned toward the door as it creaked open. Every neck craned, trying to get a good look at the new student.

"So you've arrived...take your appointed seat in the front row," Blossom stared, her muscles tensing, her hackles rising. She narrowed her eyes as her mouth sudden dried up and her teeth gnashed involuntarily. She walked in front of Blossom, returning the glare with equivalent animosity. To add salt to the wound, her seat was only two away from Blossom. The Powerpuff crossed her arms tight over her chest, grinding her teeth. Her cheeks were hot. Her blood was rushing.

Her power was struggling.

"This is Princess Morebucks, she will be joining us from this day forward...now onto our first lesson for the day. Take out your math books..." For the first time, Blossom wasn't the first to have her book out. In fact, she was the only one who hadn't complied with the teacher's request. Her eyes focused on the blight seated in her row, she couldn't concentrate at all. She had the nerve...she had the nerve to show her face again. After everything she had done—everything she had done to her—she always had the nerve to keep coming back. And how else? Of course...it was obvious: money talks.

"The answer is seven, Mr. Uka," There was a simultaneous intake of air, finally breaking Blossom out of her blank glare. She blinked, staring at Princess, who was beaming smugly. Uka-sensei nodded, though seemed torn. Instead of the expected outburst, he simply glanced over his shoulder.

"That is correct; however, you will refer to me as Uka-sensei" Princess rolled her eyes; Blossom narrowed hers. She was trembling...she honestly couldn't seem to control herself. Just seeing her...hearing her whining voice...seeing that superior look on her face. It was enough to drive her insane!

"-doesn't even have to pay attention..."

"-his favorite, what did you expect?"

"-teacher's pet," Blossom shook her head, glancing behind her. The glares were gone, but the whispers still hung in the air. Blossom sighed and shook her head. She could ignore her, there was no way Princess could touch her now, right? Here she was safe...Uka-sensei—Aku—wouldn't let her try anything, especially not to Blossom.

"It would appear that you have not studied well enough...surely someone has an answer for Uka?" Blossom blinked and looked up. She beamed, her hand shooting into the air. Uka-sensei smirked, slamming his textbook shut.

"Yes, Blossom...tell us the answer," Blossom grinned smugly and opened her book to some random page. Anything to shut them up.

"It's eleven and seven-twelfths, Uka-sensei," Uka-sensei nodded, gesturing to the problem.

"Correct, it is a simple enough equation. You! Come forth, you shall instruct your peers on how to solve this seemingly difficult problem," Harry swallowed, stumbling to the front of the room awkwardly. Uka-sensei took his seat at his desk, stroking his beard. Blossom was still grinning; she managed to catch his eye.

"Kiss up," Blossom narrowed her eyes and licked her lips. Harry was struggling to figure out how to finish the problem. A few of the others were whispering answers to him, Blossom just shook her head. He was doing it wrong, of course. Uka-sensei sighed and waved Harry off, sliding to his feet and stalking the front of the room.

"Surely someone else can solve this problem?" A hand must have shot up, Uka-sensei nodded, gesturing to the board. Blossom watched her closely. Her heart was pounding furiously; she could barely think. To her disappointment...Princess was able to solve it, quite easily. To her utter horror, Uka-sensei looked impressed. He circled around her, eying the equation with a smile on his lips.

"Most impressive...and you have not been with us, have you studied on your own?" Princess smirked and met Blossom's bloodthirsty glare.

"Yeah, I had a lot of free time, I wanted to make sure I wasn't behind when I came back to school," She snorted and put her hands on her hips, eyes locked with Blossom. Uka-sensei chuckled patting her back _he's touching her!_ and erasing the problem.

"Very good, now let us move on to something far more stimulating. Take out your history books, we have much to discuss. Be quick, now!" Blossom jerked her history book from beneath her seat, torn between glaring at Princess and glaring at Uka-sensei. She swallowed, rubbing her eyes, and viciously turned to the page they left off on. Try as she might to care about the plight of the Aztecs, there were more pressing issues at hand.

Uka-sensei _he touched her_ was droning on as usual, only showing some kind of emotion when coming to a more violent piece of the text. He grumbled, becoming bored with reading out loud. Uka-sensei leaned against the wall at the other end of the room. Blossom trembled, baring her teeth. He was standing right next to her.

"So as you can see, these Aztecs quite the violent people...you, Princess, what do you think of their fascination with human hearts?" _ He knows her name! _Princess scrunched her nose and sniffed.

"I think it was stupid. I mean, what's so special about a heart? They should have spent more time, I dunno, doing something useful. Like making better weapons or finding more gold or something," Blossom was practically foaming at the mouth. The sound of her pencil snapping in her grip broke the silence in the room. She wasn't breathing, she couldn't bear to breath anymore. She instead kept her murderous glare fixed on her textbook. Uka-sensei chuckled and slammed his book shut.

"It does seem foolish, does it not? The heart is but another organ, it is as easily destroyed as the rest of the inner workings of the human body," Blossom's eyes widened. She swallowed and looked up, staring hard at Uka-sensei. He didn't meet her gaze; the smirk he wore wasn't for her. He wasn't smiling for her...he was smiling for someone else. She got a good look at Princess, through a hazy red fog. That smarmy grin, her nose in the air. Her teeth clenched, her body burned. Her wrist was on fire; her chest was screaming.

"Hm...it would appear our time runs short," Right on schedule, the bell for lunch rang and a stampede ensued, "I request that you remain behind," Blossom's heart fluttered, the fiery glaze disappeared from her eyes. She looked up with a smile, "Princess. We have much to discuss, I would like to ensure you are caught up with the rest of the class," The two made eye contact. Uka-sensei's eyebrow was raised. There was an unreadable expression on his face. Blossom's eyes were wide, her mouth hanging open.

"You will be late for lunch, child. Go on," _He wants to be with someone else_, "You do not have all day," Blossom closed her mouth and numbly got up from her seat. She heard a muffled snicker and glanced over her shoulder at Princess. Uka-sensei was already at her side, leaning over her shoulder explaining something—what? What did it matter what he was explaining, he only wanted to be around her! Blossom narrowed her eyes and stomped out the door, unintentionally slamming it. The glass trembled, but thankfully didn't break. Blossom kept her eyes low, her breaths coming in quick, sharp gasps. Her jaw hurt, she couldn't possibly grind her teeth harder. Her fists hurt, she couldn't remember when she'd been this tense before.

"Hey...are you okay?" Blossom froze in the hallway and looked up. Buttercup crossed her arms and stared back at her. Blossom swallowed and shook her head, brushing her hair away from her face. She must have been shaking her head...her hair had come loose from her braid.

"I'm fine..." Blossom started to walk by, but Buttercup fell into step next to her. Her heart skipped a beat when her sister touched her shoulder.

"I uh...I know you aren't happy to see her...I'm not either," Blossom laughed—it was a shallow, weak laugh—and nodded. Buttercup wasn't stupid.

"It's not that..." Buttercup shook her head and squeezed her shoulder, starting toward her usual table as they entered the cafeteria. She paused and looked back at Blossom.

"I know...do you...do you want to sit with...with me?" Blossom blinked and swallowed. She shook her head, taking a step toward the table where Boomer—and only Boomer—was waiting.

"No that's...it's okay, I'm going to go...I'll just be with Boomer, okay?" Buttercup blushed and looked away.

"I know! Just...yeah, well...okay, I'll see you um...after recess," She mumbled, rubbing her arm sheepishly.

"Yeah uh...tell Bubbles I said 'Hi'," Buttercup nodded and the two parted ways. Her sister gone, Blossom's fury resurfaced.

* * *

"Blossom, you're going to get in trouble again!" Blossom stomped toward the side of the building, staring up at the window to A11-21. Trouble be damned, she had a mission. She had to know what they were doing; she had to keep Princess away from **her** teacher. Blossom growled and glared back at Boomer. The blond Rowdyruff boy swallowed hard and took a step back.

"I just...I don't want...you to uh..." Blossom shook her head and started hovering into the air. She thrust her mitt out, on the verge of throttling her best friend.

"This is too important, Boomer! Don't you dare let me get caught again!" Boomer swallowed and nodded, just as Blossom whipped around and flew to the window. She cautiously peaked over, her cheeks fiery red. Uka-sensei was pacing the room, gesturing wildly. Princess was laughing _he's making her laugh!_ and responding in that same snarky, holier-than-thou tone. Blossom narrowed her eyes and floated away from the window. It felt like her body was on fire...her chest was burning.

"Blossom! Get down! Get down!" Blossom glared, but quickly followed Boomer's frantic advice. The two scurried away from the window, narrowly avoiding detection by the teacher prowling the playground. Still...when they were a safe distance away, Blossom stared at the window...watching the occupants from a distance. She held her chest. She held her breath.

Her bracelet held the rest of her.

* * *

"Very good, Princess! You have yet to fail in impressing Uka," Blossom had long since given up glaring. She had given up snarling. She had given up thinking or reacting at all. Instead she focused on a budding fire behind her ribs. It was spreading, swelling up in every inch of her body. Her wrist had gone completely numb. She had gone completely numb.

The day was over before it even began. The last bell rang, her peers rushed for the door. Blossom remained in her seat. She didn't dare take her eyes away from her desk. She didn't dare unclench her fists.

"Have a nice day, Mr. Uka!" Uka-sensei chuckled as Princess bumped Blossom's desk roughly. Blossom's eyes narrowed. Princess was the last person out the door. It slowly, very slowly, slid shut of its own accord. Blossom still didn't dare look up.

"Why have you remained behind, child?" Blossom swallowed, and ground her teeth. The fire was spreading. Her bracelet was sparkling on her wrist. Her scar was tearing itself open again. Still...she kept her head down. She kept herself under control.

**"Is something troubling you, Red Child?"** That did it. Blossom leaped from her seat, snapping the desk in two, hurling both parts across the room. Aku jerked away from her, narrowly avoiding her swung arms.

"Don't. You. DARE. You know EXACTLY what you did!" Aku bared his fangs, rearing up to his full height. Blossom advanced, unmoved. Even making himself larger did little to quell the small child's fury. Aku swallowed and, once again, barely dodged a frustrated blow. Instead, the backhand aimed at him, hit his desk and shattered the side, sending the rest crashing through the window. Aku blinked and realized he was backed up against the wall.

"What. Did you. Think you were doing! TELL ME! NOW!" Her voice cracked, but her scream was piercing, quite literally. The force smashed the white board and drove Aku to clasp his hands over his ears. He snarled, trying desperately to take control of the situation.

**"It was merely a lesson, Blossom, to show you the pain I feel seeing you with that Blue Boy!" **Aku transformed into a snake, just barely dodging her fist. Blossom was seething, sucking in hot gasps of air. Tears rolled down her cheeks, her wrist was sizzling, sparks were flying. She pulled her fist from the wall and advanced on him.

"I didn't need a lesson! I didn't need you to teach me anything! I have NEVER done ANYTHING to hurt you! I would rather DIE then see ANYONE hurt you!" Searing red cracks broke out over Aku's body, but by sheer force of will, he managed to force his bleeding heart into submission. The two stood toe-to-toe. Aku swallowed and shouted in surprise when her mitts grabbed hold of his shoulders and knocked him against the wall. She stared into his eyes, clutching his shoulders with all of her strength.

"Don't. You. EVER. Do. That. To ME. AGAIN!" Aku stared back at her, amazed and wide-eyed. He tenderly touched her face, as if in utter disbelief. Just like that, as his claws slid through her hair, Blossom's fury dissipated. She threw herself at him, sobbing and holding him tightly.

"Please don't leave me, please, please let me be your favorite. Please don't let her take you away from me!" Aku wrapped his arms around her. His heart was pounding. The fire alarm was blaring. He swallowed again, stroking her hair.

**"No one could ever replace you, Blossom...don't be foolish..."** He whispered. Blossom shook her head and only cried harder. Aku held her tighter. The sprinklers rained down on them.


	44. A Boy Named Baku

"_**Clutch it like a cornerstone otherwise it all comes down**_

_**Justify denials and grip 'em to the lonesome end**_

_**Clutch it like a cornerstone otherwise it all comes down  
****  
Terrified of being wrong**_

_**Ultimatum prison cell"**_

**The Grudge (Tool "Lateralus")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 13 **

So...she's not going to stay in every recess, right?"

"**Of course not...I don't want to spend more time with that miserable brat than I have to,"**

"That's good, how many more days do you think you'll need to help her?"

"**Mmm...today was the last. She is sufficiently caught up. Despite my loathing for the damnable human...she is well educated,"**

"Yeah...she was never stupid. She's just...such a spoiled brat!"

"**Humans of great wealth tend to mistake monetary value with personal worth. She's just another pitiful human. She does not compare to you, Blossom,"**

"...Thank you. Do you really think so?"

"**Child...must you ask such foolish questions? They belie your brilliance,"**

"I'm sorry..."

"**There's no need to...apologize...child, what is troubling you? Please, cease this leaking!"**

"...I miss eating with you,"

"**...Don't you prefer the Blue Boy's company? You seem quite content with him,"**

"I love playing with Boomer but..."

"But, I love you more,"

"**It's time for bed, Blossom,"**

"I know...goodnight, Aku,"

"**Goodnight, Blossom,"**

* * *

Don't. You. Ever. Do. That. To **ME**...**AGAIN!**

_**Black, nightmare, smoldering ruins, a pained scream rings out, shattering the engulfing silence. High above, thunder crashes.**_

_Blossom stared at Aku, seething with a rage she could barely understand. Every fiber of her being was on fire. Her heart was blazing in her chest. Her chest was tearing open. The scar was bleeding again; the pain was unreal. The world felt darker, life felt lighter, everything felt somehow more real than it had in so very long. But the rage...the rage was out of control._

_**Skin tears and blood splatters the concrete. Tears mingle with sweat on purple bruises, a sickening thud hits the ground. The sky trembles in silent despair; the Earth holds its breath.**_

_She slammed him against the wall, watching the sprinkler water pour down on him. Steam shot up from his eyebrows; steam rose up from her skin. She could barely see through the red haze. At first she was afraid of what lay beyond the veil. As she slammed against the wall a second time, she saw the look in his eyes. His eyes were wide and glassy. She could almost see her reflection, deep in their inky depths._

**W**h**y ****d**o** t**h**e**y** f**e**a**r** y**o**u, ****c**h**i**l**d**?

_**A lone figure stands; the world finally succumbs to its scars. Eyes ablaze, encased in a sheathe of fire. A shrill laugh splits the dead air. Darkness devours the dying light.**_

**TELL ME NOW!**

_d A e S u M e G o_

* * *

_I never used to remember my dreams...sometimes I'd wake up, wondering if I even dreamt at all. Of course, I knew I had. You dream every night...but there are just some nights that feel too fast to have time for any nocturnal murmurings. Of course, in the old days, I usually woke up to the sound of the Hotline. Whether rushing into action, or grumbling and turning over again...the sudden start was enough to force my dreams into nonexistence. These days...I'm sleeping longer...I'm sleeping harder...I'm dreaming more vividly._

Blossom stood in the shower, staring at the water swirling down the drain. Steam filled the tiny bathroom, struggling to escape through the small crack beneath the door. Blossom winced every so often as the searing hot water collided with her still very tired body. Reflexively, she rubbed her chest. The clock downstairs was ticking on with the seconds. It had been about twenty-five minutes, by her estimation.

_What is it about these dreams? Why does it feel like...like I want to remember them, but at the same time...I want to pretend they never happened. It's an exhilarating sensation. All of the destruction. The darkness wrapped around me, so sleek, so safe...so sexy._

Blossom shivered and struggled to turn the water up further. The handle was at its limit...she sighed and lowered her head. Biting her lip, she narrowed her eyes, firing a thin stream of heat at the shower head. Just a few moments and the water had reached a boiling point. Blossom smiled and lowered her head, letting her hair fall down in waves. Swallowing, she watched the soapy water swirl around the drain.

_But the death...the screams of pain. I can still feel my sister's skin against mine. I can feel her bones grinding, her flesh tearing as my blades dig through her like butter. I can still see the look in her __eyes...so wide and terrified. I can still hear her crying, feel her trembling beneath me. I can feel her lips around my finger tips; I can feel her shaking at my slightest, softest touch. I see...with unbearable clarity...the horror and betrayal reflecting in her blue eyes._

Blossom threw her hair back, heating the water a second time. It was going to be a long day...dealing with Princess, dealing with the people of Townsville...being so close and yet...still so very, very far away. The water was getting cold.

_I don't want to remember this nightmare. I don't want to keep seeing the pain and suffering I caused. What was I thinking? I wasn't...the truth is I wasn't thinking. I let...I let my emotions get the best of me. I just turned my back on everything I had always held sacred. I turned my back on everyone. I betrayed the people of Townsville. I betrayed my parents. I betrayed my sisters. _

The clock downstairs had stopped ticking.

W_hy did the dream have to end?_

* * *

"Now as you can see...the message this author was trying to put forth is that humankind are like pigs. Wallowing in filth, miserable pathetic beings whose only true purpose is to grow fatter and more complacent until the day he is gutted by a butcher of a superior race!" Blossom snickered, while the rest of the class simply stared blankly. Uka-sensei crossed his arms in irritation, throwing the book down on his desk.

"Is there something you find amusing, Blossom? Do speak up, Uka is most attentive!" Blossom rolled her eyes.

"I'm pretty sure the book is about communism, Uka-sensei," There was a collective intake. Apparently the bulk of her class didn't understand that Blossom disagreeing with Uka-sensei wasn't going to cause the apocalypse. If anything...their teacher's boisterous laugh as he shook his head proved quite the opposite. Uka-sensei enjoyed their exchanges.

"Foolish child, perhaps that is what the author himself intended, but that is not the message the novel puts forth! There are numerous caricatures of humanity's folly!" Blossom chuckled and rested her cheek on her hand. She didn't disagree, but she had her reasons for arguing. Not the least of which was sheer enjoyment of hearing her teacher talk.

"That may be how you perceive it as a Monstro-American, but I can assure you that it's just blatant bias on your part," Uka-sensei snatched the nearest copy of the book, which happened to belong to Princess. While she pouted, Blossom snickered again.

"Is that so? Let us look shall we? We are first treated to this...ghastly figure, this Old Major fool. Perhaps the only worthwhile creature in this whole book!" Uka-sensei snorted and flipped to a page in the first chapter.

"How does Old Major reflect poorly on mankind? Is it because he dies?" Uka-sensei shook his head, smirking.

"Of course not, child. Greater creatures than man have met their demise. No, this swine inspires the foolish animals of the farm to some FOOLISH ideal. And in their ignorance they believe him. It is this very ideal that allows the devious swine to enslave the others. The simple farm animals are too foolish to think for themselves!" Blossom nodded, licking her lips. She glanced at Princess, who was still glaring at her. She smirked, as if daring her to comment. Princess stuck her nose in the air and crossed her arms.

"I think Mr. Uka's right, the animals were all stupid peasants," Blossom rolled her eyes, turning to a page in the book.

"What about Snowball? He had noble intentions, right?" Uka-sensei seemed to be the only one to catch the sarcastic tone in her voice. He cracked a quite uncharacteristic grin, stopping in front of her desk. Blossom licked her lips again, locking eyes with the monster.

"Yes, the weaker swine had good intention, but to whence does the path of good intention lead? In the end, the fool fled for his own safety. He lacked any backbone or strength to see through his...'righteous' vision, and represented the idealistic failure of mankind's collective history. All good intention flees in the sight of challenge," Blossom chuckled, shaking her head when she spotted another character on the page. This one would be too easy.

"So...what do you think of Boxer?" The class jumped, Blossom included, when Uka-sensei burst into uproarious laughter. He sat on the edge of his desk, flipping through the pages of Princess' book. When he reached the page he was searching for, he started to laugh again. In the back, Molly Beware spoke up.

"What's funny, Uka-sensei? I liked Boxer...he was a hard worker..." she mumbled. A few other classmates agreed. Blossom rolled her eyes. Boxer was an idiot.

"Boxer was an idiot, child. The fool was too simple-minded to realize his own demise coming! He continuously worked toward a fool's dream, and failed miserably in the end! The horse was but a pawn to more dominant minds. His 'hard work' was all he was good for. He was nothing important; in the end he was a mere...minion," Uka-sensei spat back, pacing the front of the room, his hands clasped behind his back. Molly frowned and looked at her frayed copy of the book.

"I still liked him..." She whispered. Blossom raised her hand, ready to continue the discussion, but Princess cut her off.

"Put your hand down, no one wants to hear you go on and on all the time. Oh look at me, I'm so smart, I'm going to try to outsmart the teacher. Yeah, you're real cool," Princess said, glaring daggers at Blossom. The Powerpuff girl narrowed her eyes and slowly lowered her hand. Somewhere in the back of her mind, there was an ember lighting up. Blossom opened her mouth, a retort at the tip of her tongue. She quickly clammed up, turning away in frustration.

Thankfully, before any further discussion, or argument, could break out, the bell rang. The students charged for the door, save for Blossom, who patiently waited behind. Snarling, willing back a biting sense of destruction, the auburn Powerpuff girl climbed out of her seat and grabbed her lunch sack.

"I'll see you in an hour, Uka-sensei," She called, glancing over her shoulder. Uka-sensei merely smirked mysteriously. Blossom paused as he cocked his head to the side. Something in his eyes...she blushed and hurried out the door.

Cheeks hot, her legs wobbly, Blossom jogged toward the cafeteria. She arrived, slightly winded, just in time to see Boomer waving across the sea of students. She smiled brightly and shuffled her way through the crowd. She couldn't help laughing when she reached her best friend. Not even five minutes into lunch and he was already halfway through his sandwich.

"Hey, Blossom! What took you so long? Say bye to A-" Boomer was abruptly cut off by a mitt slapping over his mouth.

"Boomer! His name is Uka-sensei! Okay? And yes...I was saying goodbye to Uka-sensei," Blossom said with a sigh. She dug into her sack, taking out a big juicy red apple. Blossom licked her lips, taking a big messy bite. Boomer snickered as bits of apple splattered on him, taking an equally messy bite of his...odd sandwich. Blossom narrowed her eyes, daintily wiping her mouth.

"Boomer...what in the world is that? Are those bananas?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. Boomer nodded, peeling open the sandwich.

"Yup, peanut butter, bananas, sushi, more bananas, and tomatoes! I think it has some hot sauce too..." He exclaimed proudly. Blossom covered her mouth, scooting a few inches away from the blond boy. Friendship aside, his tastes were questionable...at best.

"So how um...how's your day going?" She asked awkwardly, watching him with cautious curiosity. Every bite he took was an anomaly, no one could possibly enjoy that abomination the way he did. Blossom shook her head and returned to her far less offensive turkey sandwich.

"Excuse me, is there room for one more at your chosen eating location?" Blossom blinked in mid bite, slowly turning to face the newcomer. His voice was rough and low, intimidating and biting. When she laid eyes on him...Blossom dropped her sandwich, staring in awe.

"Huh? Oh hi!" Boomer said cheerfully, his mouth full. The new boy frowned and narrowed his beady red eyes. He was...green, very green. With long, messy white hair. Oddly, his eyebrows were still dark red, matching his eyes. His uniform was a bit unorthodox,it looked a bit too big.

"Move over Blue Boy, you're taking up far too much space!" Blossom swallowed, setting down her sandwich. She scooted over, letting the new boy sit down. He took a seat, awkwardly close to her, lacing his fingers in front of him and staring at her with a knowing smile. Blossom opened and closed her mouth, finally slapping her forehead and peeking out at him.

"So...what are you calling yourself now?" She whispered. The boy chuckled, and looked down at the table.

"In this form...I am known as...Baku," Blossom sputtered, quickly covering her mouth. Baku growled and looked up at her. Blossom's cheeks were red; she clenched her eyes shut, struggling to hold in her giggles.

"B...B...Baku?" She asked with a snicker-snort. Baku narrowed his eyes and nodded. Blossom lost control and giggled wildly, shamelessly hugging Baku's arm and nuzzling his shoulder.

"Do you desire my company or not, Blossom?" He hissed in her ear, glaring at Boomer from the corner of his eye. Boomer stared at the two in confusion, then blinked and laughed, returning to his sandwich. Blossom shook her head. He already knew the truth.

"Of course...it was a great surprise. I just wish you were more creative," She mumbled, hugging his arm tighter. She wasn't about to complain. Baku eyed the remains of her lunch. After a moment of hesitation, he snatched the food and started chomping it down. Blossom only sighed and closed her eyes. She could play with her best friend and her boy...her teacher, together! It was like a dream come true!

"Hey, is Aku gonna play with us?" Boomer asked suddenly, and quite loudly just as a break in the drone of chatter descended. Blossom stared incredulously at him, while Baku greedily stole Boomer's repulsive sandwich and started to shovel it down.

"I hope so...we can teach him how to play hide and seek or tag if you want," She suggested with a shrug. Boomer grinned and nodded, his happy disposition ruined when he realized he'd lost the second half of his sandwich.

"These games you speak of, I have observed your playtime, but they do not make sense. Do you simply chase one another? What is the goal? Is there some kind of competition?" The bell was ringing, recess was starting. The three walked together to the playground, Blossom cheerfully glued to Baku's side, holding his hand excitedly. Boomer lagged behind, grumbling about his stolen sandwich.

"So what do you want to play? Tag or hide and seek? I guess we could play something else but...most of the other games are taken and no one wants to play with me...we should play tag! I think you'd like it, it was the first game I learned to play!"

"It's really easy, all you have to do is just touch someone...like this," Blossom poked Baku in the chest. The three were now on one of the more remote corners of the playground. Baku stared down at his chest in confusion. He raised an eyebrow and glared at Blossom. Blossom beamed back.

"See? Now you're it! So you have to catch me or Boomer! If you tag us, then we're the new it!" Baku looked down at his chest then back at Blossom. He reached out for her, but Blossom took a step back, dodging his slow swipe. Baku blinked and growled. He tried to touch Boomer, only to be dodged in a similar fashion.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? How am I supposed to 'tag' you if you if you continue to defy me by fleeing!" Blossom and Boomer giggled, the former shaking her head.

"You have to chase us and try to catch us! That's the whole game, silly!" Baku narrowed his eyes and took a step toward her, taking a faster swipe. Blossom moved to the side, giggling. Baku bared his teeth and swung his hand harder. Blossom jumped back, dodging again. Now snarling he charged at her, ending up face in the dirt as she side-stepped his charge. Blossom giggled; Boomer stuck his tongue out at Baku.

"You're too slow, dude! You gotta really run!" he chuckled. Blossom shook her head, taking a step closer to Baku.

"It's okay, you'll get the—WOAH!" Blossom fell backward, barely avoiding a vicious swing. Baku's glare only darkened as he ran at them again. Blossom shrieked and jumped to her feet, taking off to avoid her vengeful new friend.

"QUIT! RUNNING! AWAY! I. WILL. CATCH. YOU!" Baku nearly ran into a slide, whipping around with a crazed look in his eyes. Blossom laughed hysterically, her eyes watering. She squealed and took off running again as Baku came barreling toward her. As they passed Boomer, Baku branched off, hoping to tackle the Rowdyruff boy. He missed...by a few feet. Boomer took off, Baku hot on his tail. Blossom noticed that her boyfr—friend was winded. To be honest, so was she. Blossom sat down on a swing, watching the two boys running around. She sighed and leaned forward on her mitts, smiling.

"Geez Utonium, just waste a swing why don't you? Where's your stupid boyfriend, huh? Aren't you afraid he'll forget to blink and breath at the same time?" Blossom rolled her eyes and glared at Princess. The Powerpuff girl hopped out of the swing, trying to be diplomatic. The fire in the back of her mind was making that...less than desirable.

"Here, you can have the swing, I was just taking a break," She managed to keep her voice even...but Princess just glared at the swing.

"I didn't want the swing, please, I have better ways to spend my time," She snorted. Blossom rolled her eyes a second time and put her hands on her hips.

"How? Picking on me? I'm sure you feel like such an important person," Princess laughed and crossed her arms. Blossom clenched her fists, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm definitely more important than you now! I was pretty impressed when I heard the news...I always knew you were a big, fat screw up!" Blossom gasped and took an intimidating step forward. She could see Princess twitch but...she also saw the way her eyes strayed to Blossom's wrist. Princess knew she was neutralized. She stuck her nose up and looked away from Blossom.

"I mean, maybe I bought the whole city and made crime legal, but I never tried to destroy the world! And from what I heard...you beat up your own sisters. Is that why Bubbles won't talk to you?" Blossom swallowed. Her heart was blasting in her chest, her head was throbbing. She took another step forward, lowering her voice to just above a whisper.

"I'm warning you, Princess," The tone of her voice, it was enough to shake Princess' haughty attitude. But, as she took a step closer, not enough to dissuade her.

"Or what? You can't do anything, Utonium. If you lay one hand on me, they're gonna lynch you! I heard a lot of pretty interesting information while I was in prison. The whole world wanted your head on a PLATTER!" The two stood toe to toe, staring each other down. The fire was...getting out of control. Blossom's breathing quickened, her heart stopped beating. In just one hazy blink of an eye, she could shut the stupid, spoiled brat up once and for all.

"Ms. Utonium! Is there a problem over here?" Blossom twitched; Princess grinned. The teacher approached them, hands on her hips and a stern look in her eye. Blossom took a deep breath and shook her head.

"No ma'am..."

"Run along, and don't let me see you causing anymore trouble," Blossom gave Princess one last glare before shuffling off to find Baku and Boomer. Just one blink of an eye and Princess would never hurt her again. Unfortunately...this time, she was right. Blossom couldn't do anything.

"GET BACK HERE! I WILL TAG YOU!" Blossom gasped and ducked, barely avoiding the dodgeball Baku had hurled at Boomer. With a snicker, she rushed back into the game.

* * *

"**Is something wrong, child?"**

_I sighed and shook my head. How could I explain it to him? He could never understand how it felt...to have so much power and...and still be so helpless. I shook my head and snuggled closer to him, wrapping my arms around him as far as they'd go. Aku rested his hand on my side...I sighed happily and closed my eyes._

"No...I guess not. Did you have fun? I'm sorry we were teasing you,"

"**Hmph, Blossom, I am not a mere child! You cannot 'hurt my feelings',"**

"I'm glad...I worry sometimes...I worry I'm not being how you want me to,"

"**...Aku appreciates you for who you are, Blossom. You do not need to change,"**

_My eyes were watering again. I shook my head, swallowing painfully. Burying my face in his side, I curl up and pray he'll hold me. He doesn't disappoint me...soon his arms are wrapped around me. I feel so small and safe when he hugs me. Like...things might go back to the way they were before._

"Thank you...for today,"

"**It was...enjoyable. I'm glad you had fun, Blossom,"**

_I looked up at his face. It was so close...I could almost feel his breath. Sitting up, I crawled closer. His chest...I never realized how strong it felt. Swallowing nervously, I leaned closer. Aku turned to look at me and I...I froze. So close...but still so very, very far away..._

"Aku...I..."

"**...It is late,"**

"I know...goodnight, Aku. I...I lo..."

"**Goodnight, Blossom,"**


	45. Two Puffs and the Princess

"_**Saturn comes back around**_

_**Lifts up you up like a child**_

_**Or drags you down like a stone**_

_**To consume you til you**_

_**Choose to let this go"**_

**The Grudge (Tool "Lateralus")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 14**

"Aku...will you tell me a story?" The demon narrowed his eyes in confusion. Blossom kept her eyes low, blushing slightly in the dim moonlight pouring in through the open window. Her sisters had long since gone to bed; the Professor had long since kissed her goodnight. Now the unlikely pair sat alone, bathed in silence and darkness broken only by the flickering of his eyes.

**"What do you mean, Blossom?"** She sighed, pulling her knees up to her chest. They were so far apart, she couldn't help smiling when he sat closer. She couldn't resist sighing when his fingers trailed through her hair.

"I just...want to hear a story...so I can have something to dream about," The demon gave a grunt of confusion. Dreams must have not been his area of expertise. To be honest, she wanted a distraction, anything to stay awake just a little bit longer. Anything to keep her mind off her own dreams.

"Please?" Aku sighed and leaned back against the headboard, drumming his fingers across her back. Blossom closed her eyes and laid against him.

**"Very well...Aku shall tell you the legend of the Soul Collector...a powerful minion of the Master of Masters, banished long ago to the darkness," **Aku took a deep breath and began to tell the tale, weaving a simplistic setting, a thriving kingdom in a distant land. Blossom tried to keep her eyes open, but they were already getting heavy. The gentle brush of his claws on her back was just so comforting, so soothing.

**"But not all were happy...for you see, there was a homeless man without a family, who had been beaten and left an invalid by the minions of Aku..."** Blossom quickly stifled a yawn, curling up and snuggling closer to Aku to get more comfortable. His thick baritone droned on, surprisingly effective though lacking his typical theatrics. Blossom's head began to droop.

**"...after the girl visited him, the man fell into a fitful sleep. Dark dreams plagued his every thought. Hatred for the world that had disowned him, and envy for the freedoms they enjoyed..." **Blossom closed her eyes, resolving to only close them for a second. So heavy...so tired...so content.

**"...taking his first life, the man knew he had found his heaven..."**

* * *

_Man made god...and sought to bind her_

**"Why did you choose to come to Aku, child?"**

It wasn't my choice, I didn't choose any of this! I didn't want any of this to happen!

**"Aku was not calling you child..."**

Then I don't know! I didn't do it though! I swear, I'm a good girl...I'm a good girl!

**"Why do they fear you, child?"**

It's not my fault! None of this was my fault! You did this to me!

**"Do not speak the words they wish to hear...tell Aku what it is you, and you alone, feel,"**

_And through her naiveté…man bound and gagged the goddess._

I don't know what I feel...I just want everything to go back to the way it was!

**"Red Child...there is so much for me to teach you,"**

I don't want to learn from you! I'm a superhero! You're a monster! A MONSTER!

**"All things have a weakness..."**

Even you! You have a weakness! You can't keep controlling me! You can't...make me like you!

_**"You cannot hope to defeat Aku, child,"**_

Y...Yes I can...yes I can! I can win...I'm a good girl...I'm not like you...I'm nothing like you!

_"I should have killed her,"_

I never...no...stop...please stop...just get away from me! Just leave me alone! STOP!

_Impotent and powerless...until the day, the goddess opened her eyes._

**"This power...it is why mortals exist...to impart it unto us,"**

No! I'm a hero, a servant to the people! It's my job to protect them form people like you!

**"The Earth...shall be destroyed,"**

No! I won't let you! You can't win! You won't win!

**"Do you not trust Aku?"**

Of course I don't trust you! You're a liar! A villain! A demon! You're everything evil!

**"Do you believe in Aku?"**

No I don't! _"Yes! Of course I do!"_

**"You will do anything for him?"**

No! I'll never do anything for you! _"Yes! I will!"_

**"You wish to be with Aku? You wish to be a god, like Aku?"**

NO! I'm not a god! You're not a god! I'm a hero and you're a monster! _"I do..."_

_**Now...there's no turning back.**_

NO!

_A chorus of screams rang out, the crowd backed away, those who had been nearest to Talking Dog suddenly splattered with blood._

_**"He never knew when to shut up...stupid dog,"**_

NO!

_Whipping around she slashed downward, splattering blood across the street. Bubbles fell back, hand over her bleeding side. The wound wasn't healing._

_**"What's wrong, is sweet little Bubbles scared? You should be! This is bigger than danger level eleven! This is real, Bubbles! I'm real!"**_

NO!

_Blossom slammed her bloodied, moaning sister again and stalked toward her, arms shifting back to normal. She grabbed her by her throat and held her up, wearing a grin of utter enmity. _

_**"You're bleeding sis...sorry about that..." **_

SOMEONE PLEASE! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP! THIS ISN'T ME!

_**"I'm Blossom, it's nice to finally meet you!"**_

**NO!**

* * *

"Blossom? Blossom open the door! Hey! Are you in there?" Blossom sat in the shower with her knees pulled up to her chest, clutching her head and trembling. Buttercup was pounding on the door, the Professor was trying to pick the lock, and the water was freezing cold. She'd long since rinsed clean, but the smell of vomit still slithered in from the hallway. She had no idea how long it had been, but her heart was still pounding. Her head was still throbbing. She hurt all over. She couldn't stop crying.

"Blossom! Open the door or I'll break it down!" Buttercup screamed, pounding on the door again. Her voice was cracked and strained.

"Buttercup! You're not helping, now get back. Blossom! Sweetie, just open the door, let us in!" the Professor tried to reason. Blossom shook her head and tucked it between her knees, wracked with sobs again. Without thinking, she let out a quivering moan that escalated into a painful scream. The sound on the other side of the door stopped, then there was a loud smash.

"Butter, oh alright. Blossom!" the Professor unlocked the door and started to open it. Blossom managed to find her voice just in time.

"Don't come in!" The desperation in her scream _please don't look at me_ seemed to work, the Professor froze. The door even clicked closed again for a second. Still, she could hear Buttercup trying to fight the Professor to get in.

"Let me in! Blossom what's wrong? Are you okay?" Blossom shook her head, fresh tears springing up. Without a response, Buttercup finally got inside. Blossom heard the door click shut _please, I don't want you to see me_ and suddenly the curtain was jerked away. She kept her eyes down, unable to look at Buttercup.

"Blossom! What's wrong? What happened? Who hurt you! You're...Professor!" Blossom gasped and grabbed Buttercup's skirt.

"Don't tell him! Please...please..." She begged _**don't you dare tell him**_, staring up at Buttercup. The Powerpuff leader shook her head and pulled away.

"Blossom you're bleeding! I have to tell him! You could be hurt!" She shouted, just loud enough that the Professor could hear through the cracks in the door.

"What? Blossom's bleeding? Open this door, right now!" Buttercup sighed, unable to meet Blossom's betrayed expression. Soon the door was open _**how could you do this to me**_ and the Professor was at her side . Blossom could see Bubbles on the other side of the door. Her head was still throbbing. She felt her stomach lurching again. And through it all, Blossom still couldn't stop crying.

* * *

The room was quieter than usual, without Blossom's typical interjections. Princess had taken up the duty of answering every question Uka-sensei put forth, though the lack of emotion in the latter's response seemed to imply he didn't really care. It was a hot day and the air conditioning wasn't exactly top notch. The room was sweltering, beads of sweat decorated every brow, and a chorus of sighs broke the typical monotony.

Uka-sensei was rambling, about what Blossom wasn't quite sure. As he paced the front of the room, going on and on about something important, Blossom stared blankly at her desk. She hadn't taken out a single book yet, she could faintly hear her classmates talking. She knew Uka-sensei had given her a worried look _stay away from me you monster_ but he managed to hide it well. The one who wasn't doing a good job of hiding her concern was Buttercup.

A pile of notes, carefully passed to avoid detection, was building on Blossom's desk, and on the floor around her feet. Were they not meant for her, there's no way they'd have escaped Uka-sensei's eyes. As it was, he more than likely wanted the same reassurance the sender did. Blossom hadn't read any of the notes yet, so they continued to pile up. Somewhere behind her, she could hear Buttercup getting impatient.

"And so...hm...a pop quiz is in order," The class moaned—it was quickly clipped off by a glare from Uka-sensei—and shuffled their belongings to the floor. Holding the offending stack of papers in one hand, Uka-sensei narrowed his eyes as he scanned the room for potential cheaters.

"It is a math quiz and there shall be no technology to aid you," This time, not even Uka-sensei's glare could stop the moaning, and the cries of disapproval.

"That's stupid!"

"I'm going to fail..."

"Why?"

"SILENCE!" The room fell deathly silent, the only sound the echo of Mike Believe's pen hitting the floor. Uka-sensei passed out the papers, saving Blossom's for last. As he set it on her desk, his fingers trailed scandalously close to her mitt. Blossom swallowed hard and slowly looked up. To avoid panicking and hyperventilating, she chose to not breathe at all. His eyes were different, his horns were longer, and his brow was darkened. Blossom could just barely make out a pulse of red light in his chest.

"Blossom...are you well?" He asked in an inaudible whisper. Blossom swallowed and lowered her head, staring at her quiz. The letters were jumbled _get away you monster_ and the numbers seemed to be dancing in front of her eyes. It took a moment, but Blossom realized that her eyes were watering.

"I'm..." She wasn't sure how she _**I'm trapped, please save me **_really felt. What could she tell him so he wouldn't worry? Uka-sensei's hand touched hers. His fingers were long and jet black. She stared at the appendage, as he wrapped his fingers around her mitt.

"Is there anything Uka can do to ease your pain?" A tear trickled down her cheek_ this is all your fault you monster_. Blossom slowly shook her head_**please set me free again, you're the only** reason that everyone hates me_ and sighed, glancing up at him.

"I'm...okay..." She trailed off, biting her lip. Picking up her pencil, she stared blankly at the quiz. She was crying...and she couldn't read the paper. Seconds ticked on, turning to minutes. Minutes ticked on until the bell rang. Everyone passed in their papers before rushing for the door. Blossom handed in a blank sheet for the first time.

Her peers were filing out, the stuffy, hot room was steadily emptying. Blossom continued to stare blankly at her desk, barely aware of the tears leaking down her cheeks. She snapped out of her revere when a sharp bump hit her desk. She looked up at Princess, clenching her jaw.

"Hey Crybaby, did you even write your name on that quiz?" Blossom climbed out of her chair, ignoring Princess' _**stuck-up, wretched**_ smug smirk. Unfortunately, she was hot on her heels as Blossom escaped into the hallway.

"Hey! Why are you running away? You can't just ignore me!" Blossom lowered her head _you were right...you were right _and quickened her pace. Princess just stayed right behind her. In fact, as Blossom continued to ignore her jeers, she finally reached out and grabbed her wrist, spinning her around. Blossom froze _**don't you ever touch me again **_and stared at Princess.

"Quit ignoring me, Utonium! Mr. Uka gives you special treatment, doesn't he?" Princess spat at her. Blossom just lowered her _it's all a lie, just a trick_ eyes and shook her head.

"N-No, he doesn't..." Her voice was a trembling whisper. Despite the way her body ached, the way her stomach lurched, Blossom could feel the fire growing in her chest. This time, though...this time she was afraid. She clenched her eyes shut and tried to walk away. Again, Princess grabbed her wrist.

"Don't just walk away from me! I'm sick of you ignoring me! Who do you think you are?" Blossom spun around _**YOU KNOW WHO I AM**_, jerking her arm away from Princess and snarling. Princess only narrowed her eyes _she knows I wouldn't hurt her_ and sneered. Blossom narrowed her eyes; her face was hot and her chest was on fire.

"I just want to go eat...just leave me alone!" Blossom hissed. She took a warning step toward Princess, but to her shock, her opponent wasn't moved. In fact, Princess took a step closer. She was daring _**YOU KNOW WHO I AM**_ Blossom to try something. She was begging her, just so she'd get in trouble. Just so _she's testing me...I won't give in_ the world would have a new reason to hate her.

"Or what? What'll you do? You can't do anything!" She laughed. Blossom lowered her head, not budging when Princess shoved her. She was weak, but she wasn't powerless. _I can't hurt you **I can shut you up forever.**_

"Just let me go to lunch..." Blossom begged, trying to turn. Again, she was grabbed. This time _**DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH ME **_she couldn't stop herself from slapping Princess' hand away. She stumbled back gasping and holding her wrist.

"You...you hit me! You can't do that!" She screamed. Blossom's eyes went wide _no please, I didn't mean to_ while Princess grinned victoriously. A door nearby opened, high-heels clacked against the linoleum floor. Someone heard her, someone was coming. Princess quickly dropped to her knees, nursing her wrist. Blossom's arms dropped to her sides _oh no...please no..._as she stared blankly. What else could she do? She couldn't get out of this...

"There you are! What's going on?" Blossom and Princess both looked up. Buttercup crossed her arms, glaring at Princess, and glancing at Blossom. Blossom opened and closed her mouth uselessly; Princess glared, but managed to seem sincere.

"Your evil sister just hit me! For no reason too!" Buttercup narrowed her eyes and turned to Blossom, who was still staring at her blankly. The clacking was right on top of them now. All three looked up, just in time to see their principal, Miss Anne Durry, approaching. Formerly known as Femme Fatale, the administrator had a stern, no-nonsense attitude. She was strict, demanding...and it was no secret that she still hated the Powerpuff Girls.

"What is going on here? Miss Morebucks, what happened?" Princess managed to get a grin in while Principal Durry was looking at the Utonium sisters. She quickly screwed up her face and thrust her "good" finger toward Blossom.

"She hit me! She used her superpowers and everything!" Principal Durry leveled a deathly glare with Blossom, who still couldn't seem to make her mouth work. Blossom _I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to_ felt her knees getting weak. There were more footsteps approaching. A bell was ringing somewhere—lunch was over—and a stampede was heading in their direction.

"Is that so? Well...what do you have to say for yourself?" The tone of Principal Durry's voice bore no humor. She wasn't even considering the possibility that Princess was lying. To be perfectly honest, she wasn't. Blossom had played right into her _**manipulative little brat**_ hands.

"I..." was all she managed to say. A crowd was gathering, students watching, whispering amongst themselves. Some were even shouting out their condolences to Princess! Shocking nearly everyone present, including the looming dark figure coming out of the nearest classroom, Buttercup snorted and got between Blossom and Principal Durry.

"Princess is lying to get Blossom in trouble...I hit her because she was getting on my nerves," Principal Durry gasped, as did most of the surrounding students. Nearby, the dark figure raised an eyebrow, catching Blossom's equally confused gaze.

"You're lying! Blossom hit me!" Princess screeched, glaring at Buttercup. Buttercup glowered, and Princess swallowed nervously.

"I'll do it again if I have to prove it, Blossom didn't touch her," Blossom watched the fear flash through Princess' eyes. Buttercup was inarguably the most revered hero on Earth after the battle two months earlier, and Princess didn't exactly have a clean track record. Not to mention...Buttercup _**isn't shackled and bound like a slave **_didn't have her power restrained. Principal Durry looked back at Princess who swallowed and lowered her eyes.

"Okay I lied...Buttercup hit me...it really hurt too! She almost broke my wrist!" Principal Durry nodded and gestured for Buttercup to follow her. Buttercup gave Blossom a shrug and a secretive smile, before following the two ex-villains. Blossom closed her mouth and looked up at Uka-sensei. Uka-sensei was gone, but Baku was just as amazed.

"I knew she...but...she's going to get...oh gosh..." Blossom moaned _this is all my fault_. Baku grabbed her hand, the sudden blush fighting off her guilt and confusion.

"Come, Blossom, let us eat and play...I have yet to relinquish the title of 'It' in our game..." He grumbled. Blossom nodded, glancing back while they went to join Boomer.

* * *

Blossom sighed, staring at Buttercup. Her sister was sitting on the other end of the couch, flipping through the channels. After a painful moment of silence, she finally spoke.

"You shouldn't have done that..." she pointed out. Buttercup scoffed and shook her head.

"I saw what she did to you, I wasn't going to let her win!" she stated. Blossom shook her head and rested her chin on her hands. Bubbles was in the other room with Ms. Keane, probably working on homework she really wasn't sure. The Professor was upstairs doing...something. Blossom hadn't really paid attention during dinner.

"I didn't want you to get in trouble..." Buttercup rolled her eyes.

"Who cares? I just got detention. She'd have probably expelled you!" she retorted, throwing the remote down on the floor. Blossom stared at the device, biting her lip.

"Maybe I deserved it...I did hit her..." Buttercup sat up with lightning speed, crossing the distance between them with a righteous fury. Blossom backed up against the arm of the couch, cringing under Buttercup's wilting glare.

"Shut up! Stop talking like that! She made you hit her!" Blossom sighed and shook her head.

"Buttercup..." She murmured. Buttercup shoved her shoulder, getting Blossom to look her in the eye again. Blossom swallowed nervously.

"Just...just be thankful! Okay? I did you a favor! It's fine! I don't care!" said Buttercup, crossing her arms and sitting back on the couch.

"...I'm still sorry..." Blossom apologized. She reached out, but paused holding her hand out uselessly. Buttercup looked up, rolling her eyes when she noticed that Blossom was crying.

"Don't be, alright? Geez, you cry more than Bubbles now," She slapped her forehead, cringing when she saw the hurt look on Blossom's face. Blossom sighed and glanced back at the kitchen. Bubbles had her back to the living room. Buttercup frowned and touched Blossom's leg. "I'm...sorry, I forget. I guess I just got used to it, I..." Blossom shook her head and sighed.

"I know...I'm going to my room," As she got up, Buttercup followed her, grabbing her arm. Blossom couldn't help bristling. All day...everyone seemed to feel this obsessive need to keep grabbing her. To keep her from doing what she wanted to.

"H-Hey! Wait! Wait! Are you going to be okay? You...you can sleep with...us if you want..." Blossom's anger wilted, hearing the almost desperate tone in Buttercup's voice.

"No...Bubbles wouldn't like that...I don't think I should, especially since...you know" she trailed off, lightly brushing her skirt. Buttercup shamelessly stared at her sister's legs and crossed her arms.

"If you start bleeding-" Blossom cut her off with a small laugh, shaking her head.

"It hasn't stopped...well it does sometimes, but then it starts again...I just think I should be alone," Buttercup threw herself down on the couch and glared at Blossom. Her glare wilted as she muttered something about ungrateful sisters. Blossom smiled and started toward the staircase again.

"You don't have to be..." Buttercup called after her. Blossom paused on the fourth stair. She smiled and waved as she started up the stairs again.

"I know...good night, Buttercup," Buttercup scowled and laid down on the couch again. Even from a distance, Blossom could see her disappointment.

"Alright fine, be that way...night, Blossom..."


	46. September 2nd, 2001

**September 2nd, 2001**

**Patient Name: Blossom Utonium**

_She's late...Blossom is never late. What's going on? I keep hearing stories, someone told me she struck another student. Blossom what's wrong? Her time is almost half over...please, Honey, don't leave me hanging. Please show up..._

"Blossom! Oh thank God, I was so worried...Honey, where were you? Are you alright? Oh come here...shh, it's okay, don't cry,"

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...I'm sorry,"

"Blossom, it's fine! Sh...just relax...it's okay, there...there we go..."

"..."

"Where were you? I was-"

"I wasn't going to come, I didn't want to see you,"

"What? But what did I..."

"I don't want to see anyone right now! I just want everyone to leave me alone! I want that stupid phone to stop ringing every five minutes!"

"The Hotline...but Blossom, you said you missed going-,"

"I know...I just...I want them to leave me alone! I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."

"Blossom, it's fine, you can yell if you want to...just please, stop crying,"

"This is all my fault, did you see the newspaper? It's all my fault!"

"Honey, you're rambling...what about the newspaper?"

"Buttercup...she got in trouble with Mr. Morebucks and it's all my fault!"

"Then...it's true, you hit her? You hit Princess Morebucks?"

"I just slapped her hand back! She wouldn't leave me alone! It wasn't my fault...I just got carried away...I'm so sorry, but no one will listen to me!"

"Please, just settle down...can you tell me what's been going on? Shh, no, don't apologize. Let's just talk about this week, okay?"

"I...okay...oh, Dr. Elise, it's been terrible!"

"What happened? When did Princess come into the picture again?"

"She came back to school! After everything she did, that stupid brat had the nerve to show her face!"

"Is that so...that's odd..."

"I can't blame her, maybe she wants to salvage her future instead of throwing it away on crime...it's a good reason, right?"

"Hm? Oh well, yes, that's a very good reason to come back to school..."

"I just can't believe her! After I...after our fight she has the nerve—THE NERVE—to act like she's still better than me! I could break her in half if it wasn't for this stupid bracelet!"

"Has she really been that bad?"

"It's not all her fault...it's not like she's the only person I don't get along with..."

"Blossom...is there something wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're acting very strange...there it is again, are you alright?"

"I'm...a little uncomfortable, I'm sorry..."

"Oh, is there something I can do?"

"Um...no not really it's just...I'm...bleeding..."

"You're bl—oh my God are you serious? I mean...wow, you mean...bleeding as in..."

"The other day I had my first um...period...the Professor said it was normal, right? It is normal, isn't it?"

"It...of...of course it is! It's perfectly normal, it's just...hard to imagine you starting yours...you still seem so young,"

"B-But the Professor said it's normal for people my age, it is isn't it?"

"Yes! Yes, of course. There's nothing wrong with you, Blossom,"

"Nothing wrong with me...nothing wrong..."

"That's right, there's nothing wrong...I'm sorry if I scared you,"

"Huh? Oh no, you didn't scare me. There's nothing wrong with me, right?"

"No, you're perfect, Blossom. You're just a little more mature than I realized. Have your sisters...started theirs?"

"No...at least, I don't think so. Buttercup got really scared when she saw me bleeding,"

"How in the world did Buttercup see you?"

"It's kind of a long story..."

"We've got...just enough time left, why don't you tell me?"

"What if I don't want to?"

"Excuse me?"

"Huh? Oh, right um...well it started with this dream..."

"Another dream?"

"Not a dream, it was a nightmare..."

"Blossom...Blossom?"

"I don't want to talk about it,"

"Are you sure? I'm sure I could help you unde-,"

"I said I don't want to talk about it,"

"You can't work through these demons if you don't confront them, Honey,"

"Maybe I don't want to work through them...maybe the demons aren't what's wrong with me..."

"There's nothing wrong with you, Blossom,"

"You're wrong...there's something wrong with me, something really wrong with me..."

"Blossom,"

"No, no, I don't want to talk about it, please don't...I can't talk about it...I don't want to remember it..."

"Blossom, are you sure? Don't cry, just tell me,"

"I can't! That's not who I am! I'm not that monster!"

"What monster? Blossom, you're not a monster. You're a good girl,"

"..."

"Sweetie?"

"We're out of time, Dr. Elise,"

"I know, but I don't want you to leave like this,"

"I don't want to keep you,"

"I have time for you,"

"...I need to leave, I don't want to make everyone worry,"

"Blossom...Blossom! I'll...I'll see you next weekend..."


	47. Schismogenesis

"_**The more the light shines through me...**_

_**I pretend to close my eyes**_

_**The more the dark consumes me...**_

_**I pretend that I'm burning bright,"**_

**Burning Bright (Shinedown "Leave a Whisper")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 15**

_The city of Townsville! A harmonious community **a wretched cesspool of deceit and corruption** with once happy people...who now live in fear of their greatest hero **the greatest evil they've ever known**._

_**I never asked for this...I never chose to be their salvation** I chose to protect them, I made an effort to love them unconditionally. I will never turn my back on the city of Townsville** I will never close my eyes again, I will never let them control me again.**_

_As long as I draw breath **as long as my heart beats**_

_**I** w**i**l**l **n**e**v**e**r **g**i**v**e **u**p!**!**_

* * *

The city streets were barren and empty. A gust of frigid wind shattered the solitude, pushing aside filth and garbage in its wake. A plastic bag fluttered through the air, undeterred until it was sucked in by a passing vehicle. The driver didn't seem to notice; she had more important things to worry about.

Looming over the horizon, like a twisted black monolith, an offering to all things evil, was a forgotten observatory. Not long forgotten, but forgotten nonetheless. They'd overcome, just as they always had. She had overcome, only to find a greater blackness at the edge of darkness. That monolith, that citadel of sinister intent, was her destination.

The gaily painted vehicle skid to a halt, throwing up a cloud of dust. The door flew open and the occupant, the sole defender of this corroded city, the last vestige of hope and serenity that remained, stepped out into the night air, staring at the monstrosity lit only by the pale light of the moon. Though it was creation of man, of her own two hands no less, it still loomed like an ominous extension of the underworld. Glaring down at her with a wicked gleam, the light of the dark moon overhead reflected against the blue-silver paneling. It was a beacon, a marker that let her know just where her journey was to end. That lone gleam in the pit of blackness showed the way to darkness greater than any other.

The citadel was not just a monument to a lesser evil, it was the refuge of the ultimate evil. The rat hole where her final enemy lay in wait.

With a determined sigh, she took on the final distance by foot. The night air grew more fierce, as if threatening to overwhelm her should she refuse to turn back. Turning back was the furthest thought from her mind, even as the bristling cold gales tore at her whipping red cape, even as her bow, a golden eagle, slid down, letting strands of perfect summer orange hair fly free. She narrowed her rosy-hued eyes and marched onward. The monolith drew nearer still, as the grounds around her reflected the horror she knew she should feel.

Twisted roots grew from burnt black soil, decorated with earthen scar tissue that refused to heal with time. Bitter blades of wither-brown grass struggled to push their way through the rocky Earth's surface, while gnarled black trees suddenly tore free in a pyre of hellfire and shrapnel. Every step the heroine took closer, the Earth grew darker. Overhead, the dark moon's red light intensified, as if daring her to venture closer. Though logic would have turned her away, passion drove her forward to accept the challenge. As she drew near the moat of molten steel that circled the dark obelisk, the creaking wooden bridge sank beneath the slag. Taking a moment's hesitation to voice her disapproval, the heroine took a brave step over the edge.

The river of smelt quivered and shot upward in furious streams. A hellish veil of blackness fell over the world in her wake, leaving her stranded, hovering over a veritable sea of smoldering metal. Now, over the new bleaker horizon, she shot forward; the arc of her travel painting the wicked canvas with a uniform rainbow of pastel pink. The sea did not let her advance without continuously reminding her of its disapproval. As the darkened observatory grew closer, the sky quaked and began to rain down a torrent of black fire. The heroine noticed with only a passing glare, quickening her pace and outrunning the world trying to stop her.

At long last, she set foot on the first step, and then the second. Each advancing step was echoed by the advancing wall of black, now closing in on her. Narrowing her eyes, the heroine continued up the steps, even as the world about and behind her melted into nothingness. When she, at last, pushed open the door, the world faded into a cacophony of beeps and jolts echoing through a metal jungle. Wires dangled from the ceiling, showering her with sparks, and computer monitors crackled just moments before exploding. The heroine threw the door shut behind her, unmoved when it simply collapsed, melting away to join the ever advancing black.

There, through the long and winding road of steel contraptions and duranium death machines, she found what she'd come for. A tube rose up from the ground, connected to the blackness above and beyond it. Four thick wires stretched from the top of the tube, but two had been severed and now violently flew back and forth. A once green light on the terminal had turned to a cautionary shade of yellow, though it struggled to avoid sinking into warning red. The tube was filled completely with bright orange fluid, periodically jolted by bursts of electricity. There, in the midst of it all, was the final enemy. The ultimate evil.

She was a hideous monstrosity, a twisted amalgam of everything wrong with the world. Her inky black skin absorbed the light, just like her dark creator's. Her pale green cheeks were flushed, her jaw clenched in fits of rage and pain with each jolt from the machines. Her summer orange hair was wild and untamed, flowing out around her like a mane, pinned down only by the mocking black crown she wore. Her crown of thorns, her symbol of wretchedness. Though she was restrained, the silvery-blue bands were merely for show. The heroine knew they couldn't hold forever.

"I finally found you..." She whispered, speaking at last. Her palms trembling, she reached her hand out and touched the tube. The glass was cold, colder than the wind outside. The liquid, the antidote that kept the monster powerless, was kept at a low temperature to slow her down, to keep her tired and weak. The heroine narrowed her eyes and glanced down at the diagnostic panel. The hold was weakening...soon she'd be free.

"I will never let you hurt anyone again, mark my words. You die tonight," Liberty Belle vowed, turning toward the control panel. She froze, hearing something move. As she turned, the glass next to her shattered, and the antidote washed over her, knocking her back. A great, powerful form slammed into her side and drove her to the ground. She opened her eyes to stare into a pair so violently familiar, so damningly similar, she nearly screamed.

_And every night...I lay awake_

The sun overhead was blisteringly hot, bearing down on her like a spotlight. No matter how fast she ran, it followed her, piercing every dark crevice, every shadowy corner she sought salvation. No cloud passed overhead, no shade even dared to exist. Sweat trickled across her brow, her cheeks were flushed dark, and her chest stung painfully. There was no where else to run, even the sun itself had aligned against her. There was no option but to be discovered.

And what was there to be ashamed of discovery? She'd lurked in darkness her entire life, she'd repressed urge to taste freedom, she'd been denied a chance to ever kiss the sky. As she peered from her perch out at the city streets, the anxiety rose once more, the fear gripped her heart.

The city had always been crowded, but today it felt painfully so. Everyone pushed and shoved, trying to go about their own way. Cars were stopped in the streets by passersby, and even the local pets seemed to have come out to enjoy the sunlight. Her heart blasted in her chest, there was no way she could show her face. A horn honked behind her; she screamed and turned, only to find herself standing in the middle of the street.

Thousands of eyes were watching her, countless faces twisted into masks of hate and rage. None were distinguishable, but they were all piercing. Even overhead, the sun now glared at her with bulging yellow eyes and sharp, jagged teeth. It seemed to be getting closer with every passing second, rather than setting in the west, it was descending on the city, descending on her! She clenched her fists and spun around, trying to find an escape, trying to find some way to break free. People piled on top of each other, animals and children crawled between the taller citizen's legs. All with a single purpose, a single goal: to express their contempt.

The city around her looked like a photograph, a still frame that extended on forever. She turned to find her father, joining the rest of the furious masses. Just like they, he seemed painted onto the picture, not truly there but an addition. However, though he seemed painted on, his eyes were different. They were impossibly real, impossibly large. Never blinking, never looking away, they twitched and trembled with unbound fury, veins popping around the shaking yellow iris. His pupils, their pupils, seemed to go on forever, like gaping holes.

**Your fault**

They were closer now, as if they'd been pushed closer. She gasped and held her chest. Her heart couldn't settle, she couldn't catch her breath. And, in the back of her mind, she was furious. There was a fire building up inside her, just a smoldering ember now, but growing with every frenzied glare. She turned, baring her teeth, only to spot her sisters mere inches from her face. They didn't look the way she remembered. They were just like the others, except...painted on in watercolor. They seemed to be melting somehow, all except for their eyes. The girls didn't look like her, they looked normal. They looked human. But their eyes, they were the same hyper-realistic eyes the other citizens wore. Yes, wore. These weren't their own eyes, these eyes simply hung on their still melting faces.

**It's your fault**

She took a single step backward, only to suddenly find herself falling. She hit the ground, deep within a crater. She gasped, recognizing the pit. Overhead, three burning lights were growing brighter and brighter. A simple attempt to sit up proved futile, her arms were shackled to the ground, bounding in glowing white bands. She began to panic, thrashing at her restraints. The glowing lights overhead suddenly fell, careening towards her. A glittering meteor of green and red, shifting from deepest black to brightest white as it fell. There, in the center of the meteor, was a pair of impossibly real yellow eyes, glowering at her. She screamed, tugging at her arms with all of her might.

**Your fault**

She was in a white padded room, strapped to a table. No, not a table, a machine. A machine that could do away with her, make her normal again. She shook her head, trying to pull free. It was no use, the machine was starting up. She stared at her father, who manned the controls, and her sisters. They were normal, they were normal little girls. No nubs, no mitts, perfect little girls. All three turned their bulging yellow eyes to her. The Professor's lips curled back into a grin that split his face from the tip of each eye. His teeth were razor sharp, his eyes were gleaming.

"Don't do this..." she whispered, trying to find the courage to scream. No, not the courage, trying to quell the fury building in the back of her mind. Trying to rid the flush from her pale green cheeks. He only chuckled, they all chuckled in unison, and his leer darkened.

**All your fault**

"Don't worry honey, we're going to fix you," His voice pierced the air, practically assaulting her. She growled and narrowed her eyes into dangerous slits. Her body was on fire, her eyes were glowing. As she clenched her fists, her hands began to change.

"I'm not broken," She spat back. The three only laughed. The door opened and she turned to face the newcomer. Her cape blowing in the wind, her lasso dangling from her hand, she narrowed her eyes. The others were now behind her, floating heads with giant Cheshire grins.

"We're going to fix you, Honey!" he repeated. She shook her head, struggling with her restraints. She was getting closer, the light in the room was getting brighter. Devil Blossom threw her head back and screamed.

_And I find no conclusion_

The city of Townsville was in shambles, punctured by energy fire and pure force, rendering it a wretched ruin of its former glory. As she touched down, she stared in horror at the destruction wrought in such a short span of time, destruction wrought right under her nose. She narrowed her eyes, shoving aside an upturned hunk of metal, once upon a time a car. There in the distance, she could hear thunder strike, she could see fire rising. Her enemy lay over the horizon.

Liberty Belle stopped as she passed by his battered and broken body. Her lips quivered, she barely managed to look away as a single tear slid down her cheek. He hadn't been perfect, he had faltered as all people do...but he hadn't deserved this. James Utonium was her father, he didn't deserve to die this way. Battered and broken, lying in a tomb built by his own body, painted in his own life blood. Choking back a sob, she hurried forward, advancing on the churning blackness in the distance.

The Pokey Oaks Kindergarten had been a refuge, a place of safety and serenity. She'd made her friends, she'd made her identity in those hallowed walls, now smashed and strewn across the city street. The playground was engulfed in a wall of fire, the equipment broken and twisted into unmentionable shapes of nightmarish, impossible architecture. Somewhere inside, she could hear a child's voice, sobbing uncontrollably. Liberty Belle started to venture into the fire, but a crash of thunder stopped her in her tracks. She couldn't be deterred, she couldn't be delayed. She turned back to the spotlight of sinister red, shining down from the dark moon above.

She tried to fly, but found the air impossible to traverse. She tried to run, but found the distance to great. Liberty Belle settled for simply marching onward, ignoring the death and carnage around her, silently swearing to make things right. As she drew nearer to the zero ground, she stopped dead in her tracks, spotting a familiar figure lying in the side of a collapsed, twisted building. She wasn't dead, but she refused to look at her. When Liberty Belle knelt in front of her, she realized it wouldn't have made a difference.

Buttercup's eyes had been cut out, bloody tears streaking down her blackened cheeks. Liberty Belle reached toward her, pulling away when she hissed in pain. She trailed her gaze down her fallen sister's form, her heart stopping when she laid eyes on her sister's fatal wound. A burning, dark cut across her chest, through her chest. Liberty Belle swallowed and stood up, unable to take her eyes away from her sister. In her hand, Buttercup clutched a silver-blue knife, stained with blood. Choking back a sob, she hurried off toward the light. If she hurried she could still save Bubbles.

The sky began to scream, fire rained down in a downpour, obliterating everything in its path. Liberty Belle ran faster, ignoring the stinging sensation in her chest. She had to find her sister, she had to save her no matter what. She slowed, watching spires of blood and bone shoot up through the city streets. They stretched an infinite distance into the air, even blocking out the red light of the dark moon. Further and further into the air, until it seemed they were trying to point something out to her, trying to direct her. Liberty Belle shook her head and shot through the spires, gasping at what lay on the other side.

There laid Bubbles, sprawled out on the ground, blood trickling down her legs. Burns and frost bite covered her naked body, tears streamed down her indistinguishable face. Liberty Belle tried to get closer, but it seemed every step she took, Bubbles became a little more blurry, and a little further away. She growled and took off running. The result never changed; Bubbles never came closer.

"This is your fault, you took her away from me!" Liberty Belle shouted, whipping around, staring into the blackness. Fire had woven a twisted web across the sky, painting obscene images, trickling down a shower of blood. Liberty Belle spun again; the darkness grew thicker. The fire was spreading, threatening to consume everything.

"I won't let you win! I won't let you ruin everything I've worked for!" The black peeled away and a pair of gleaming pink eyes hovered in the darkness behind the heroine. As the monster flew from the darkness, Liberty Belle turned to face her.

_And every night it just stays the same_

She stood outside the dark, empty kindergarten, staring up at the rain. The clouds were thick, dark gray, pouring down moisture and misery by the bucketful. She slowly sighed and lowered her head. He wasn't coming; they weren't coming. She looked to her left and then to her right. She was alone, waiting on the sidewalk for a ride home that wouldn't ever come. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head and started off down the sidewalk.

Somehow, even though it was raining, the sun seemed unaffected by the thick clouds. It still barreled down on her with extreme prejudice. Her skin crawled, torn between burning and soaking. The people scrambling through the streets glared at her with eyes that couldn't possibly be real. Big, gleaming yellow eyes that followed her, even long after the owner had passed. A car shot by, splashing her with dirty rainwater. It trickled down her naked skin, doing nothing to alleviate the heat of the sun.

She stopped next to a window, peering in to watch the televisions set up inside. Her family was sitting at the kitchen table, laughing and enjoying a nice hot supper. She narrowed her eyes, feeling her hair rise a little, feeling her chest burn a little. The sun grew hotter still, practically scorching her, when, suddenly, they turned to face her.

They wore the same big, bulging eyes the rest of the citizens wore. Veins popping around the twitching, piercing irises, encircling pupils that went on forever. They were angry, they were disappointed. Above all else, they were disgusted to even look at her. The sun grew hotter still, or maybe it was her skin. As the rain touched her, it began to turn to steam. The air around her sizzled, as her own eyes narrowed and she gnashed her teeth. They kept staring at her, eyes filled with hate and disgust...until the Professor suddenly smiled.

His pearly white teeth stretched his mouth wider and wider, until it reached from the corner of each eye. Slowly, Bubbles and Buttercup joined him. Devil Blossom took a step backward and spun around. The entire city wore that same expression. And, as if on cue, they all laughed. They pointed and they laughed at her. They doubled over with tears streaming down their faces; their eyes refused to close. No one would look away, no one could look away. They laughed louder, until the entire city's trembling laughter drowned out the rain. She clutched her head, snarling at the pavement.

"Stop it...stop laughing..." They laughed louder, screaming and falling to the ground in hysterics. Devil Blossom stared at her wrists, where giant chains had appeared. She tugged on the shackles with all of her might, but to no avail. The laughter rose higher and louder. A brutal force tugged at her chains, dropping her face first in a puddle. Just like that, the laughter stopped, in fact, all sound was gone save for the rain trickling against the ground. Devil Blossom pushed up on her hands and stared across the black alley.

"I finally found you...you won't get away this time," A pair of pink eyes gleamed in a cardboard box. There she was, her golden eagle bow glistening in the fierce sunlight. Her cape billowed in the wind, untouched by the rainwater. Devil Blossom scrambled to her feet and took several steps back. She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. The heroine stalked closer still, righteous fury blazing in her eyes.

"You're a monster...a disgusting freak! I'm going to finally kill you!" She screamed as she charged through the rain, her arm becoming a twisted dark blade.

_I dream...of absolution_

Blossom stared at her feet, watching the water swirling around the drain. Blood trickled down her left arm, casually dripping from the tip of her mitt. Her eyes were wide; she hadn't blinked in an hour. Through the steam filling the bathroom, a strangled sob broke the morning serenity.


	48. September 9th, 2001

**September 9th, 2001**

**Patient Name: Blossom Utonium**

_Can I do this? I saw her out there, I've heard the rumors that have been circulating. The girl sitting in that room...I don't think I've ever seen her like this before. One moment her expression is twisted in a mask of pain and frustration, the next its filled with fear and sorrow...but worst of all is when the emotion fades completely. When all I can find is purely...hate. Can I confront her? Can I find the truth? If I do discover the truth...can I bare to face it?_

"Dr. Elise, I understand your concern but-"

"Professor, please, let me speak with her. I don't think removing me is going to help her mental state at this point. It sounds like she's getting worse..."

"That's exactly my point...I don't know if there's anything more you can do, Doctor. I know you've tried your best, Blossom talks about you all the time but-"

"She does? Professor...please, just let me see her. I know I can help her,"

"I don't know..."

"Professor, you told me she tried to kill herself,"

"I'm not sure...she won't speak to anyone right now,"

"Then let me try, she's always talked to me,"

"I...alright, but please, let me know what's going on. I want to help her,"

"I know you do,"

"Alright...I'll go get her,"

"...Come on Blossom...please, Sweetie, let me help you...hello there! It's nice to see you again, please, sit down,"

"...What did you tell the Professor?"

"I only asked that I could still visit with you...is that alright?"

"...I guess so..."

"Will you talk to me, Blossom? Please?"

"..."

"Alright...if you don't want to talk right now, why don't I talk, okay?"

"..."

"It's been a long week, I hope you don't mind if I vent a little? See, I've been working with an associate on a project and he's just been very demanding. I don't mind to fetch things for him, he can't go out, you see, but the work is just very stressful. Seeing you is the best part about my work, you know. I really enjoy-"

"Dr. Elise..."

"Yes, Honey?"

"You can't tell anyone what I tell you...right?"

"Well...I...no, I won't tell anyone anything you tell me, Sweetie,"

"...You can't tell anyone,"

"I won't tell anyone, Honey,"

"...I didn't try to kill myself...I know that's what everyone is saying, but I didn't,"

"Then what happened? I saw you at the hospital, your entire arm was covered in blood-"

"You were at the hospital?"

"Well, yes of course! I was visiting another patient-"

"I didn't see you there,"

"Well, you looked very distressed, Honey, I'm not surprised. You were in shock,"

"...I suppose you're right...but I didn't do this...at least not on purpose..."

"Then what happened? How could you accidentally-"

"It wasn't an accident! That...monster. The monster did this to me..."

"The monster? What do you mean?"

"You remember...she could change her arms. She tried to come back, but I stopped her! I saved Townsville from a relapse and this is the thanks I get! Tabloids saying that I've gone crazy! Journals saying I should be committed! A completely useless arm! I stopped her! I saved everyone!"

"Blossom! Stop screaming, please! Someone is going to hear you!"

"I don't care! I'm tired of everyone ignoring me! I'm tired of everyone acting like I don't exist! It wasn't his fault! Aku didn't turn me into a monster!"

"What do you mean? Honey, we all heard the story from Buttercup,"

"Buttercup lied! She knows the truth! He used me...he forced his power on me and turned me into that monster!"

"Blossom..."

"Dr. Elise...what's wrong with me? What's happening to me?"

"Blossom...this isn't easy..."

"Please, just tell me! Why do...why does it feel like I can't think straight? It's like...sometimes there's someone else...making me do things I didn't want to do. Making me say things I never wanted to say..."

"Blossom, please, sit down...Honey, I've...been...this isn't easy for me, but I think..."

"I'm crazy...it's true...I'm going crazy because of what happened...ugh..."

"Blossom? Is your chest hurting?"

"It's okay...it's just burning...Dr. Elise, what's going on?"

"...I don't...I don't know how to say it..."

"Then just...just say it like I was an adult. What is wrong with me?"

"Blossom, you seem to be...exhibiting signs of...some degree of dissociative identity disorder..."

"You mean like a split personality? But...but I never forget what I'm doing! It's not like someone just takes control I just...sometimes I'm not me..."

"I know, you don't fit it to a tee but..."

"So Buttercup was right. The newspapers are right...I am crazy,"

"No, you're not crazy, you're just very confused,"

"..."

"I'm going to help you, alright? I'll help you get through this, Sweetie. We're going to fix you,"

"..."

"Alright? Please, just trust me,"

"What can I do? I don't...know what's right, I don't know which..."

"That's okay, alright, Honey? It's okay, just shh...don't cry, it's okay,"

"I'm scared...I...my mind is the only thing I have left...if it's broken too,"

"Blossom, you are as brilliant and intelligent as you've ever been,"

"But I don't even know who I am..."

"Who do you want to be?"

"I want..."

"..."

"I...want..."

"..."

"..."

"Is something wrong, Sweet-"

"I have a name, Dr. Elise...it's Blossom, I'd prefer that you used it,"

"Oh! I'm...I'm sorry, Blossom I didn't kn-"

"You're right, you didn't know. No one does..."

"Blossom?"

_And every night...I lay awake..._

"I think we're done, Dr. Elise,"

"Blossom, no. We can stay longer today. I need you to talk to me,"

"I don't want to talk to you,"

"Why not? Please...don't leave like this,"

"Why should I? You don't have the answers, you're just as stupid and useless as everyone else..."

"Blossom!"

_And I find...no conclusion..._

"You asked me who I want to be, Dr. Elise, but it's not that simple, is it?"

"What do you-"

"I don't really have a choice, do I? I've been pre-assigned a role, and should I choose to neglect or deny that role, I'll be punished accordingly,"

"Blossom, no one wants to-"

"Yes they do! Stop lying to me...you're a terrible liar,"

"I..."

_And every night...it just stays the same..._

"The universe has a cruel, sick sense of humor. Who do I want to be? No, the question they want you to ask is 'Will you be who we want you to be?' isn't it? They want the old Blossom back, they want the good girl, the heroine, the puppet,"

"Blossom, I never said that,"

"You didn't have to,"

"Blossom...all I want is what's best for you. I want to help you,"

"You want to fix me,"

"..."

"I'm not broken, Doctor. I don't need fixed,"

"...Something is wrong, Blossom,"

"Yeah, something is wrong, but it's not me,"

"Blossom..."

_I dream...of absolution..._

"We're done, Doctor, I've already gone over my time,"

"Blossom, please don't leave me like this,"

"Why do you care?"

"Because I do, Blossom. I sincerely...care about you,"

"I've heard that before,"

"Maybe, but I mean it,"

"We're done, Doctor,"

"Blossom...Blossom! Please, please come back!"

"Don't expect me for my appointment next week,"

"Blossom, wait! Blossom!"


	49. The Serpent Pt 2

"_**I remember me...**_

_**And all the little things that make up a memory**_

_**Like, she said she loved to watch me sleep**_

_**Like, she said: 'It's the breathing,**_

_**It's the breathing in and out and in and...'**_

_**Have you seen me lately?"**_

**Have You Seen Me Lately? (Counting Crows "Recovering the Satellites")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**The Serpent Pt. 2**

Blossom stormed down the street, her eyes narrowed, her gaze faced forward. She could have acknowledged the stares she received, but she didn't. She could have heard the whispers sent her way, but she didn't. Left arm hanging lame at her side, Blossom was oblivious to the world around her, except for a growing sensation of completion. A warm feeling that slid through the shadows, traveling just a step behind her, latched tightly onto the breadth of her shadow. She finally came to a rest at a crosswalk, turning to greet the unannounced presence.

"Hey..." She whispered, her voice rough and sharp. Uka-sensei blinked, stopping beside her while the two waited on the crossing signal. He crossed his arms and stared at her, horns longer than usual, eyes hotter than normal. Blossom stared back at him, her hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised.

"Does something trouble you, Blossom? You seem...different from last night," Uka-sensei murmured, shuffling forward when the crossing signal changed. Blossom shrugged and lowered her head, falling into step behind him. She crossed her arms, staring at the filthy pavement through the river of red hair that fell over her face.

"I'm just trying to figure things out, Aku," Uka-sensei paused next to her. She could feel his gaze, but continued walking. Uka-sensei quickly fell into step behind her when a car blared its horn nearby. Faintly, Blossom heard the crosswalk signal change again.

"What has you stumped, child? Perhaps, I can be of assistance," He offered, his hand softly grazing her hair, brushing it away from her face. Blossom smirked and shook her head, looking up at him. Despite herself, she couldn't hide the faint pink blush on her cheeks.

"Maybe you can..." She chuckled and looked down, shaking her head, "Then again...maybe you'll just make things worse...it's partially your fault," she stated. He wasn't following her as she started walking aimlessly once more. Blossom kept her head down, again observing each step she took with agonizing intensity. Uka-sensei caught up with her before she turned the corner.

"What do you mean? What has Aku done to you?" He was almost growling...she'd insulted him, she noted with a sigh. Blossom shook her head and looked up at him, wearing the same distant, droll expression.

"Do you know who I am?" Uka-sensei froze in his place, staring at her with red eyes wide. The two stood like that for the longest time, before Uka-sensei broke the stare-down.

"Ah...so...this is the issue that troubles you so," Blossom laughed coldly while the two resumed their stroll. His fingers brushed her hair again, tucking it behind her.

"Shouldn't you know that? Don't you watch my little 'talks' with Dr. Elise?" Uka-sensei sighed, and put his hands in his pockets.

"At first, I did. However...for reasons I cannot explain, perhaps pertaining to this strange, new muscle you've given me, I could no longer bear to look after you claimed to want absolute secrecy," He explained, rubbing his chest and wincing several times. Blossom stared at him, then promptly sat down on a bus bench. Uka-sensei sat down next to her, crossing his legs and staring at her expectantly.

"...That means a lot to me, thank you," she whispered. Blossom laughed and shook her head, looking up into Uka-sensei's bewildered expression, "To be honest...I thought you would be the last person to respect my privacy," Uka-sensei smirked and lowered his head.

"I did not say it was an easy change to make," The two laughed and fell into comfortable silence. Blossom rolled her head back and stared up at the clouds. She furrowed her brow and sighed. Uka-sensei's fingers slipped over hers. Blossom looked over at him and couldn't help smiling. Uka-sensei leaned closer, lowering his voice, speaking in his true voice.

**"Has Aku helped you in any way, Blossom?"** Blossom slowly nodded, looking down at her lap. As his inky black fingers slipped around her tiny mitt, she clutched his hand with all her might. Uka-sensei smiled and sat up straight. Blossom could have responded to the new murmurs passing through the streets, but she didn't. She could have returned the glares she now received, but she didn't. She could have accepted her answer...but she didn't.

The last trickle of summer sun blasted down on the two as one bus, two buses, three buses came and went without claiming the odd couple. Blossom kept her eyes closed, her head tilted up to the sky. Uka-sensei gently rubbed her mitt with his thumb, while his fierce red gaze never left her face. The wind fluttered by, pulling a few brightly colored leaves from the decorative little trees nearby. The leaves fluttered across the street, only to be pulled undertow by a passing vehicle. Somewhere in the neighborhood, a dog was barking relentlessly.

Blossom took a deep breath and sighed, lowered her head and opening her eyes. Uka-sensei stared expectantly, as she softly broke the silence.

"I overheard Bubbles talking to Buttercup the other night," Uka-sensei raised his eyebrow and gently pulled her closer. At first, she resisted. But, with just one more nudge, she slid closer, now resting against his side. She could have cared what the people watching thought, but, frankly, she didn't.

"Is that so? The Blue Child seems to avoid speech in your presence..." He mused, obviously expecting an answer. Blossom nodded, unfortunately lacking one.

"Yeah...she was afraid, Aku. She's been talking to him again," Uka-sensei narrowed his eyes. He needn't ask who Blossom meant, they both already knew the culprit.

"Does she conspire against you? You have done nothing-" Blossom giggled and shook her head, smirking.

"No, Uka-sensei, Bubbles wasn't conspiring against me. At least, I hope not. I haven't done anything to conspire against yet," They both laughed, though she could tell Uka-sensei was quite truly relieved to hear the news. Blossom took a deep breath and sighed before continuing, "No...she wasn't conspiring against me. But she's afraid. He's got her terrified," she murmured, resting her chin on her free mitt. Uka-sensei gave her hand a gentle squeeze, leaning closer.

"Then what?" He asked. Blossom narrowed her eyes and returned the squeeze.

"Octi told Bubbles that soon...something very bad is going to happen," She said, looking up at Uka-sensei knowingly. He nodded, lowering his head. His horns were longer, she could see a second pair sprouting from the back of his neck. If she looked just right, she could see the steam rising up from his eyebrows.

"Is that so?" Blossom nodded and Uka-sensei continued, "I see..." Conversation dwindled as the silence between the two grew louder. Soon, they had returned to their own person brooding, though accompanying each other in spirit. Blossom's mind was racing, trying to track down just how it would happen. Would she be the culprit? Of course not, she had no intention of causing trouble. Maybe Aku? No, he wouldn't try anything that might endanger her. What, then, could he possibly know?

A seventh bus stopped in front of the two. The driver blared his horn, glaring at them and gesturing rudely. Blossom hopped off the bench, suddenly, and climbed onto the bus. Uka-sensei slid to his feet and followed behind, paying both their tolls with a vicious little sneer.

"Damned monsters..." They overheard while shuffling towards the back. The driver took off while the two were still on their feet, but, much to a good portion of the passengers' chagrin, the two were unaffected by the sudden movement. Blossom was amused to notice a seat suddenly open up. Without giving the frightened little man a second glance, she flopped down in the seat and stared at the passing city. Uka-sensei slid into the seat beside her and soon she felt his claws lightly brush her arm. Blossom smiled, accepting the not-so-subtle hand hold.

The bus zoomed through city streets, around sharp corners, and toward the less savory part of town. Blossom spotted a few shadily dressed characters sporting a now familiar symbol: members of the enlarged Gangreen Gang. Blossom slowly shook her head, now staring at her hand, held tightly in Uka-sensei's grasp.

"Does something trouble you?" Uka-sensei asked, yet again. Blossom narrowed her eyes, and turned her glare on him. Uka-sensei swallowed and sat up straight. Odd, he normally didn't react that way around her. Blossom snorted and lowered her head.

"Do you know who I am?" She whispered, clutching his hand tighter. She imagined she could hurt him, imagined she was strong enough to truly reciprocate his feelings. Strong enough to really express her frustration. Uka-sensei cleared his throat and faced forward. When he spoke, his voice had lost its disguise.

**"I've already given you the answer I believe to be true,"** he said, falling silent the moment the words trailed from his lips. Blossom narrowed her eyes, turning to look at his face. He wouldn't face her, he'd stopped blinking. Blossom lowered her head and closed her eyes. The bus crossed over a hill, a bit too fast. A lot of the passengers screamed or shouted when suddenly thrown into the air. Through the haze of confusion and dissatisfaction, Blossom heard a faint sound in the distance. Tightening her focus, she heard it just a bit more clearly.

"You hear the call?" Blossom nodded and the two stood up. The driver seemed to notice, he suddenly slammed on his breaks. Again, the pair were unaffected as they walked to the front of the bus. Blossom got to the bottom step, waiting to get off, but the driver hadn't opened the door. The buzzing had stopped, that meant the call had been answered. Rolling her eyes and sneering, Blossom smashed the door off completely and hopped off the bus. Uka-sensei stepped out behind her, fixing his jacket and watching his pupil float into the air. Blossom turned around and faced him, her hands on her hips.

"What you said before...did you really mean it?" She asked. Uka-sensei nodded, catching her hand as she started to leave.

**"Every word of it, child,"** Blossom paused, then turned and took off into the sky. Her sisters were going to need her, she could already feel it. Today was the day bad things were going to happen.

* * *

"What's going on?" Blossom slowed down, floating several feet from her sisters. Buttercup's frenzy stopped abruptly, seeing her sister again. She raced forward, grabbing her good hand tightly, breathing a sigh of relief.

"There you are..." Blossom just rolled her eyes and glanced at Bubbles. Her sister was staring at her with wide, strange eyes. Bubbles gasped and covered her mouth; Blossom just shook her head and rolled her eyes again. She jerked her arm away from Buttercup, turning her sister's head to look her in the eye.

"What's the trouble, Leader Girl?" She nearly spat the words, but Buttercup seemed to not notice. Buttercup nodded, and the three flew off across the sky. Blossom noticed the destination: smoke was rising from the hospital near the clinic where she had just been with Dr. Elise.

"Someone's decided to shoot up the hospital, great. And they called me crazy," Buttercup and Bubbles both balked and stared at Blossom, who gave no indication of having seen them. Quite the opposite, she sped up—as much as she could—and laughed. "Why am I surprised? I must have forgotten that this is Townsville," She sighed and shook her head, sneering at her sisters.

"Well? Are you coming? Let's roll," Blossom shot forward, with Bubbles and Buttercup close behind. Buttercup quickly over took her, taking the place in the center of their formation.

"Blossom stay behind me! This could be dangerous!" she ordered. At least, she tried to order, but Blossom could tell that it was more of a request. A request? No, Buttercup was begging. If not with her words, with her eyes. Blossom smirked as the three burst through the front doors.

"I'll do my best," she murmured, snarling when she looked at her bracelet. Even mundane situations like hospital shootings were made dangerous by her situation. Blossom snorted and started forward with more bravado than a one-armed first grader deserved. Buttercup ran to catch up with her, tugging on her good arm again.

"Hold it! It's not a shooting! The doctor said it was a giant snake!" Blossom paused and raised her eyebrow.

"Sedusa...why in the world would she trash a hospital?" she asked out loud, to no one in particular. Buttercup shrugged and held Blossom's hand tightly, keeping her close as the three ascended the stairs to the second floor. Bubbles brought up the rear, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of a back attack. Blossom glowered as she peered around the corner of the second floor wing. Sedusa wasn't one for random destruction. She had a purpose, but what was it? After last time, the three had been near inseparable, she couldn't actually expect...

"Look!" Bubbles pointed ahead of them, rushing forward to check out the blaring TV sitting on in the nearest patient's room. The patient himself had been turned to stone—an old codger with a broken hip—and was frozen forever screaming helplessly. Blossom circled the room, feeling the claw marks, eying the burn marks on the walls. She narrowed her eyes and stopped breathing. She could hear it...slithering...she could feel the very faint, faded heat of breath nearby.

"What was that?" Buttercup whispered, peering out the door. Something exploded outside the room. Buttercup shoved Blossom back in the corner and ran to the door.

"Okay, Blossom stay here! Bubbles and I will check this out!" Before either sister could protest, Buttercup was gone. Bubbles glanced back at Blossom, who groaned and waved her mitt.

"Go! Before she gets hurt!" Bubbles swallowed nervously and nodded, running after Buttercup. The moment she passed through the door, Blossom felt hot breath on the back of her neck. She stood perfectly still, keeping her senses focused on that writhing tail. She wasn't about to let herself be caught again.

"My, my...you're so smart, how long have you known I was here?" Sedusa breathed into her ear. Blossom shuddered and clenched her fists, walking casually toward the door, she paused in the middle of the room. She didn't dare turn around to face her. As long as she kept her eyes forward, she knew where the snake was.

"The moment I walked in the room. The claw marks and the burns were fresh. You need to try harder to fool me," She spat, keeping her voice low. She couldn't risk getting Buttercup in a worried frenzy. Whatever they'd gone after needed to be dealt with.

"So smart...I've always admired that, you know. You always saw through me, every...time...didn't you?" Blossom shivered again, tensing when the monster's talons lightly trailed down her back. They could tear her to ribbons if their owner desired.

"Who are you working with? You aren't smart enough to do this yourself," Sedusa laughed, rising up on her tail, looming over Blossom. The Powerpuff girl still kept facing forward. She tightened her good fist and closed her eyes. The snake breathed a very high pitch, soft, just a breath away from inaudible.

"So mouthy...what's gotten into you today? You're not yourself, Sweetie," Blossom clenched her eyes tighter. Sedusa was a bit to the left, but she was preparing to swing to the right.

"I'm not the problem, why does everyone think that?" Just as she suspected, she felt the snake's breath on her right side.

"That's right...you're the perfect little girl aren't you?" Blossom just sneered. She wasn't about to play this freak's game. She finally opened her eyes, facing forward without blinking.

"What are you after?" Blossom demanded. Sedusa giggled and shifted position again. She stroked Blossom's long hair, her nails sliding through it smoothly. Blossom swallowed and lowered her head. The monster wasn't going to get to her.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about you...my Goddesssss," She hissed. Blossom shivered.

"Somehow, I find that hard to believe," Blossom retorted dryly. She took the slightest of seconds to listen for her sisters. They were on their way back. In that time, she lost the snake, who suddenly appeared in front of her. Blossom jumped back, swinging her hand out. Sedusa screeched as a wave of lightning blasted her out into the hallway. Sedusa reared up, glaring at Blossom who just smirked in return as sparks rose up from her mitt. Sedusa's eyes began to glow green. Her assault was ended prematurely by a swirling green and blue drill. Bubbles and Buttercup split up, the former rushing in to check on the third sister, while the latter devolved into a fury she hadn't felt before.

"Get away from her!" Sedusa barely managed to avoid the blow, which took out the floor beneath both of them. Unfortunately for the snake, Buttercup could fly. Blossom casually walked to the door of the room, eying the shockingly even battle taking place in the lobby below. She turned to find Bubbles staring at her again. Blossom narrowed her eyes.

"Bubbles, can I ask you a question?" Bubbles gasped again, her hands flying over her mouth. Blossom remained steadfast, taking a step toward her sister. "What did Octi tell you? What's going to happen?" Bubbles' eyes went wide and her face turned sheet white. Blossom narrowed her eyes and took another step closer. Bubbles' legs seemed to have failed her, she couldn't move. Blossom sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"Did he tell you, yes or no?" Blossom asked, getting fed up with the lack of response. Bubbles swallowed and slowly shook her head. "I thought so..." Blossom muttered, turning away from her. The two could hear the fight escalating, heading outside. Blossom took a step outside the room and turned to Bubbles.

"Come on, we have to go help her," Bubbles nodded silently, and the two flew back into the fray.

* * *

"I had her! I had her and she got away! I don't even know how!" Buttercup screamed, stomping into the Powerpuff Girls' suburban home. Bubbles practically fled the scene of the crime and had beat the two home. Ms. Keane looked up, waving happily as the last remaining members of the family crossed the threshold. Blossom smiled, spotting Ms. Keane, but her smile faded as she turned back to Buttercup. She caught her still raging sister.

"Buttercup, I need to ask you something important," Buttercup froze and turned to Blossom.

"Yeah, anything...what is it?" Blossom glanced at the kitchen, spotting Bubbles, then turned to Buttercup.

"What did Octi tell her," Buttercup laughed out loud, shaking her head.

"You don't take that seriously do you?" Blossom shrugged, frowning. Buttercup just shook her head again and crossed her arms, "She says he told her something bad is going to happen...I don't buy it. Bad things always happen in Townsville, how is this any different?" Blossom shrugged, brushing by Buttercup to head upstairs to her room.

"I was different," She retorted. She could have waited to see her family's reaction, but she didn't.


	50. The Day the World Changed

"_**That's how we'll know**_

_**This is not a test, oh no**_

_**This is cardiac arrest**_

_**Of a world too proud to admit our mistakes**_

_**Crashing to the ground as we all fall from grace"**_

**Collapse (Rise Against "Appeal to Reason")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 17**

Blossom woke late that day. By the time the near inexistent light reached her eyes, the scrumptious, though slightly burnt, scent of breakfast had weaseled its way up the stairs. Awake, but still waking, the Powerpuff girl stretched, reaching into the dark to reclaim her most precious thing. She sighed contentedly as she pulled Devil Blossom into her arms. Nuzzling the little plush doll, she cracked an eye open to gaze at the clock.

"Already seven...I must have been really tired," she muttered. It was the oddest thing, for the first time in weeks, she couldn't remember her dreams. Devil Blossom smiled back, blissfully unaffected by her likeness's displeasure. Blossom brushed the doll's hair back and sighed once more, gazing deeply at the little doll. Hoping to beat her sisters to any frustrating activities that may hinder her shower, Blossom made a b-line for her bathroom.

As she locked the door, she paused to acknowledge the darkened corner.

"Why did you let me stay up late? You always tell me to go to bed when I'm overexcited..." she scolded, hands on her hips. Overnight, her left arm seemed to have recovered—in fact, she favored it to her right arm. The demon drifted from the shadows, shamelessly watching the little girl strip away her nightie. Blossom noticed him, being caught off guard just as she slipped out of her panties.

Aku cringed and rubbed his head when she screamed. Blossom's hands flew to her chest while she spun away from the monster.

"W-what are you d-doing? I'm naked!" she managed to stutter. Aku chuckled and gently touched her shoulder, trailing his claws across her soft skin. Blossom shivered and clenched her eyes shut. His gentle caress was like white lightning beneath her skin. Worse, he wouldn't stop touching her. Blossom blushed as a moan escaped her lips and her knees began to shake.

**"Surely you could have nothing an ancient god-being such as Aku has yet to see, Blossom?"** Blossom shook her head and gasped, breaking into a sweat as a rogue tendril drifted across her trembling legs. She bit her lip; Aku chuckled again, pulling her into his arms. Torture though it had been when he simply touched her, Blossom could barely breathe with his hot body pressing against her naked back. Claws and extensions trailing her body, Blossom jerked violently when his hands roamed too near to her chest.

"St-stop it! We...We're n-not alone!" she bristled when he merely laughed again. He was starting to get to her, confusing feelings—not at all unpleasant—were bubbling in her belly. His tendrils drifted higher on her legs, his hands roamed her more fiercely. Blossom shuddered, just barely able to fight her way free. Her mitts, through it all, never left her chest.

With tears in her eyes and her cheeks burning red, Blossom stared at the floor; her back stayed facing the demon. Aku grunted and reached out to touch her again, but Blossom pulled away.

**"What is the meaning of this, child?"** Aku demanded. Blossom growled and glared at him over her shoulder.

"I don't want you to see me!" She hissed, becoming increasingly aware of the voices downstairs. Aku rolled his eyes and crossed his powerful arms.

**"You have no reason for such modesty with Aku, child,"** Blossom sighed and turned away. Tenderly she traced the scar on her chest.

"It's not about modesty..." Aku grunted, but vanished into the darkness. Blossom sighed and glanced back at the shadows. With a small gulp, she spun the hot water nozzle to full blast. The day had only just started and she'd already managed to screw up.

"Great job, Red..." she muttered.

* * *

Uka-sensei chuckled, leaning against the white board and shaking his head. He casually looked over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. Princess was practically foaming at the mouth, glaring at Blossom, who calmly smirked back at her.

"What did you say?" The little rich girl demanded, flabbergasted. In fact, most of the class was staring back at Blossom incredulously, most of all her green-eyed sister. Blossom rolled her eyes leered at Princess arrogantly.

"I asked if you could possibly give an answer without rambling about how easy it was for you to figure it out." Princess' face turned red as she sat back in her seat, brimming with rage. Blossom rested her cheek on her mitt, smirking at her self-appointed rival. That felt good...better than she'd imagined. Uka-sensei chuckled and turned to face the class, revealing the next problem on the board.

"Very good...now perhaps we can try something more exciting...you! In the back, what is the third step one would take in solving this equation? Speak quickly!" In the back, Molly jumped, staring at Uka-sensei with wide, frightened eyes.

"Th...the third step? B-but...we just started it..." She muttered. Blossom laughed out loud, getting another flurry of incredulous and vicious glares. Uka-sensei smirked and folded his arms behind his back, leaning forward.

"Uka is well aware, Ms. Beware," He retorted mockingly, with an unashamedly condescending tone. Molly turned bright red and lowered her head, glaring at her notes. She started to speak, but stopped, rubbing her eyes and sniffing.

"You...um...add-" she started to stutter out, before being interrupted.

"You divide both sides by four," Blossom answered, cheek still resting on her mitt. Uka-sensei sent her a not-so-subtle smirk and nodded, leering at Molly.

"That's correct, very good, Blossom," He said. Molly gasped; to Blossom's left, Elmer grunted and glared at the Powerpuff girl. Earlier, he'd been admonished for speaking out of turn. Blossom caught sight of the glare and flashed him a haughty smile. Elmer turned red with anger and looked down at his desk. Blossom giggled and shook her head, turning back to the white board. She blinked, suddenly picking up the growing clack of heels. The door flew open and Principal Durry marched up to Uka-sensei.

"Mr. Uka, in the hallway now, there is...something important," she commanded. When Uka-sensei merely stared at her, Principal Durry grabbed his wrist and began to bodily drag him from the room. The door slammed shut and the muffled sounds of an argument leaked in under the door. Princess snorted and crossed her arms.

"They're probably coming to take you away," She said to Blossom. The pink-eyed Powerpuff raised an eyebrow, noting, from the corner of her eye, several agreeing nods and under spoken comments.

"What makes you say that? I haven't done anything but risk my life fighting crime to protect you since no one else will," Though she sounded heated Blossom's voice was...oddly calm, strangely cold considering the words she chose.

"You tried to kill everybody!" Mike suddenly shouted, quickly clamping his mouth shut when Blossom turned to face him. She caught sight of Buttercup, who looked confused. Blossom slowly narrowed her eyes, speaking in a calm, measured tone.

"I didn't, did I?" Mike swallowed, too flustered to retort. Mary wasn't having the same problem though, she sniffed and leaned forward on her chubby hands.

"That's cause Buttercup and Bubbles stopped you! Even the Rowdyruff Boys had to fight you!" she practically shouted. Blossom turned to Mary with the same cold indifference she seemed overcome with. So frigid was her gaze, Mary's temper wilted when she raised her eyebrow.

"You're joking right? The Rowdyruff Boys just got in my way. They were really more of a distraction than they were an actual help against me,"

"You sound...really proud..." Blossom blinked and faced forward, her lip twitching. The air in the room seemed ready to snap. Buttercup didn't say another word. Thankfully, before things could implode, the door flew open and the adults entered again. Principal Durry pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, standing in front of the class.

"I'm sorry for the interruption...but there is some...very important...something has happened...how do I put this?" The blonde administrator cleared her throat and faced the room full of confused faces. Blossom kept her eyes on the white board, mulling over Buttercup's words. Was she proud of what happened? Carefully, Blossom turned to Uka-sensei. His frown was more sour than ever, and seemed to be growing more bitter with Principal Durry's continued presence.

"-alright...the United States of America has been attacked by..." Blossom zoned out again as the Principal continued her stuttering speech. The country had been attacked? What was the big deal? Townsville was assaulted by monsters, megalomaniacs, and _goddesses_ other supernatural beings on a daily basis. What made an attack elsewhere so significant?

"-the planes hit the World Trade Center towers in New York just a little while ago. We don't know if there will be any more attacks but the school has gone into lock down to..." So some terrorists flew a couple of planes into two buildings? It was reminiscent of Pearl Harbor, though at least that had been away from the mainland. The trade center...how many people were there?

"Your parents have been called, though our phones are ringing off the hook right now. As it stands, no one is leaving until the school day is over. That includes," Principal Durry looked around at the three superpowered sisters. She narrowed her eyes and leaned forward on Blossom's desk, snapping her from her daze, "You three, do you understand me? No matter how often that phone," She pointed sharply at the Hotline, "rings, you are not to leave this building," Blossom narrowed her eyes, but nodded, grinding her teeth as Principal Durry backed away.

"-due to the panic, the first grade classes will be meeting...you'll be able to eat lunch at noon...recess will be held inside...at the appropriate time, thank you," Blossom stared at Uka-sensei, who stared back, his expression unreadable. She could feel it though, where her eyes failed, her heart succeeded. It succeeded as her blood raced and her tummy fluttered. She could feel it in him as well. It was taking all of his willpower to contain it.

"Shouldn't we be out there doing something? I mean, you said the city is panicking!" Buttercup shouted, climbing to her feet. Principal Durry bit her lip and turned away, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

"This is an executive order from my higher ups. If it was my decision, you'd do what you always do, but since you are my students, you are required to adhere to the safety precautions that have been set forth. I'm sorry," Blossom crossed her arms. She didn't mean it; she wasn't sorry at all. Even if it was an inkling, there was a hint of a tone in her voice that just scream that Femme Fatale was relishing this. What villain wouldn't? Death, fear, panic sweeping the entire nation.

The United States was about to become a criminal's paradise.

* * *

Blossom had never been a fan of the cafeteria in her short tenure at Townsville Elementary school. It was too noisy and even with her reduced abilities, her hearing was impressive enough to pick out the subtle and not-so-subtle jabs and insults aimed in her direction. Typically, she could focus on Boomer's eating, his noisy chewing was often enough to drown out the cesspool of human activity around her. On that day, things were worse than ever. In light of the sudden attacks, everyone seemed on the edge knowing they were housing one of the worst villains of all time within their walls—protecting her even. What made that day worse than any other, was the added security. Uka-sensei, a powerful Monstro-American and teacher no less, was required to stick around the cafeteria for the safety of the students. That meant no Baku, no chance to play boyfriend-girlfriend even if it was just for an hour.

"I hate this," Blossom growled, fists clenched and braced against the table. Boomer munched on a banana—he'd been eating more every day, she noticed—and shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't get the big deal...don't bad things happen all the time?" Blossom laughed and nodded. Idiocy seemed to be where true brilliance laid in wait.

"That's right. Townsville is devastated on a daily basis. We had an entire hospital crumble to the ground the other day! Why is this such a fuss now? Just because regular people did it? Don't make me laugh..." Still, try as she might to rationalize it, Blossom had noticed Bubbles that morning. She had packed Octi. Was this it? The horrible event the doll had warned her of? Maybe...he was the reason the country had reacted so violently to a relatively meager attack. Even one of Mojo's assaults, back in the day, caused more financial destruction than either of those buildings falling. God and the burnt remains of police documents only knew how high the death rate had been in Townsville before she and her sisters were born.

"Maybe..." Maybe, she thought, it was because the attack had been committed by presumably normal humans. It was easy for the human race to point at metahumans, demons, sorcerers and deities and blame them for trouble. It wasn't everyday people causing destruction, it wasn't the normal people. No, the freaks, they were the dangerous ones. The world would be a better place without so many freaks. But when regular people committed an act on this level maybe...it shook that safe foundation. Maybe it worried them, the human race, that they weren't as normal as they hoped to be. It worried them that maybe...they weren't any better than the freaks.

"Hey, Aku is alone. I guess the other teachers are scared of him," Blossom looked up, hearing Boomer's voice, and immediately picked out Uka-sensei from the crowd. He sat at the very back of the cafeteria, like a phantom looming over a graveyard, watching them with an expression of intense concentration. No...that wasn't true. Uka-sensei didn't care about the rest of them, he stared straight at Blossom. Smirking, she got to her feet.

"I'm going to sit with him, see you later, Boomer," Boomer blinked and started to stand up, but Blossom was already gone. Pushing her way through the crowd, she was pleasantly surprised to find the tables surrounding the monster were free. She slipped into the shadows, sliding close to her favorite educator. Uka-sensei smirked and rested his chin on laced fingers.

"It's amusing, is it not, child? To watch how the sheep are shepherded so easily by fear...swing a stick and watch them run," he mused. Blossom smiled and nodded, sliding even closer to him. She swallowed and looked around the room. There were eyes on them—Buttercup, Bubbles, Principal Durry, various faculty—but for some reason that only spurred her on. Blossom wrapped her arms around his and hugged it tightly, burying her face in his powerful limb. They were afraid...she could at least pretend.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered.

"Why, Blossom? You've done very well today...Uka is impressed by your sudden aggression, it's a drastic change...an odd change," Blossom clenched her eyes shut a little tighter and nuzzled his arm.

"For this morning,"

"...Think nothing of it, child. Aku understands your plight," Blossom shook her head and dug her mitts into his sleeve. Her chest was starting to burn.

"I wish you would..."

"Do you think this day will have any significance? Aku fails to see the importance of such trivial casualty," Blossom looked away, eyes drifting over the crowd of students and teachers. She made eye contact with Buttercup. Her lips twitched; she turned back to Uka-sensei.

"I don't think anyone will remember in a week..." Uka-sensei laughed and nodded. Blossom smiled, but narrowed her eyes and looked down.

She'd been wrong before.

* * *

September 11th - America Under Attack!

September 14th - Terrorists, In Our Country?

September 20th - Monsters: The Source of Destruction

September 21st - Can America Recover?

September 23rd - Monstro-Americans and Terrorists: A Comparison

September 30th - The Worst Attack in American History

October 3rd - Meta-Humans and Monsters: Are They the Problem?

**October 13th - Connection to the Late April Attacks?**


	51. The MetaHuman Regulation Act

_**"So keep on pretending**_

_**Our heaving is worth the waiting**_

_**Keep on pretending, it's alright.**_

_**So keep on pretending**_

_**It'll be the end of our craving**_

_**Keep on pretending, it's alright"**_

**Pretending (H.I.M. "Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights")**_**  
**_

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 18**

_I thought it would be over in a week_

The aftermath of the September 11th attacks had an impact no one, least of all those of exceptional capability, saw coming. While conspiracy theories flew, rumors spread, and panic swept every street corner of the nation, there came a rise in national pride. An intense sensation of "Us Vs. Them" took hold in the heart of the American citizen. And with the rise of patriotism, there came a great rise in xenophobia. While the average citizen kept a wary eye on those of foreign descent, he kept a loaded gun aimed at those of "exceptional capability."

_I had no idea things would get worse...I had no idea they could._

Cape-clad do-gooders and evildoers alike found themselves in a national spotlight the likes of which had never been seen before. It made no difference how clean the person's record, or how shadowy his past, if any citizen found himself deemed of "exceptional capability, exceeding that theorized possible of the common man," he was deemed an enemy of the so-called "common people." Heroes and villains became identical in the eyes of the United States of America. They became targets.

_And now there's no end in sight. Octi hadn't lied to her. Something very bad had happened._

With swiftness unprecedented, the government brought to life new departments, new organizations aimed at subduing the potential threat the "Meta-Humans" posed. In the world following the terrorist attacks, terms such as "good" and "evil" became obsolete. Everything that could threaten the "common man" was deemed evil, with no exception. Labels such as "hero" and "villain" lost their power, eventually fading completely. For the safety of the American people, the safety of the free world, every last meta-human had to be dealt with. For the heroes, that meant registration and government regulation of their heroism and world-saving. For the villains...

"_I can't say it to anyone. I can't let the weakness show now. If I ever want to...to know...but..."_

President Signs the Meta-Human Regulation Act

In the weeks following the horrible attacks of 9-11, Congress and the President pushed a bill that would ensure the safety of the American people. On October 16th, 2001, President Bush signed into immediate effect the "Meta-Human Regulation Act." In addition to the registration of all citizens deemed "superheroes" for national service, the act requires that all "supervillains", defined as "meta-humans deemed a significant threat to the United States of America both in present and past activity", and all Monstro-Americans, defined as "Monsters originating from, but not limited to, Monster Island who have integrated into American society, displaying traits similar to those of the Human race", to be registered with a government agency, henceforth known as the Department of Meta-Human Regulation, and to be tagged with microchips that allow said department to track their location, spending habits, and, in the case of energy-proficient beings, power output level to prevent any malicious planned assaults.

"_I've never been so afraid. I've never needed you more than I do now,"_

* * *

Blossom stared into her steam-marred reflection, eyes distant and head low. As searing water buffeted her tiny frame, she softly exhaled and glanced away from her own brooding expression. She couldn't help sneering at the idea of being annoyed by her own sudden introversion. She swallowed and tensed slightly, somehow feeling the shadowy figure on the other side of the curtain move. He hummed low and rapped his long fingers against his knees.

**"They've arrived, Blossom,"** he stated. Blossom nodded, resting her forehead against the cool, white wall. She lowered her gaze and stared at her stubby feet. Turning her head lazily, she watched the water swirl down the drain. She couldn't stall much longer...

**"Do you know to which end they intend to assign you?"** he asked. Blossom sighed and let her head fall back. Staring at the ceiling, she returned to her ponderings of the previous night. To be honest, she had no idea. For the greatest length of her life, she had been a hero. But, for the greatest part of her life, she had been a villain. Not just any villain...she had been...the Enemy.

"I don't know..." she whispered. Which did they think she was now? She couldn't truly blame them either way, especially when she didn't know the answer herself. Before Aku could make a comment, a heavy hand rapped on the bathroom door. Aku's presence vanished into thin air as the lock clicked and the door creaked open.

"Blossom, Honey, hurry down, alright?" Blossom nodded, forgetting for a second that Ms. Keane couldn't see her.

"Alright..." The door softly shut, leaving Blossom alone at last. She rubbed her left arm and gently brushed her feet against the shower floor. Her limbs were sore again...and so was her chest.

Finishing up with only a subtle hint of urgency, Blossom dressed, staggering a bit until finally giving up on her stockings, and made her way downstairs. The sudden tension and audible cocking of guns cleared up any remaining confusion about her position to the United States' government. A large, bald man was waiting for her at the kitchen table, sitting across from Blossom's sisters. With only minor surprise, Blossom recognized the man standing next to the bald man. While his buzz-cut brown hair and confident blue eyes were new, his bright costume was a dead give-away.

"Major Glory," Blossom muttered in greeting. The superhero nodded, keeping his eyes focused on the red-haired little girl.

"I'm sure you understand why Major Samuel Garrison has joined us?" the bald man asked. The girls nodded; Buttercup moved closer to Blossom. The man nodded and folded his hands in front of him, staring the girls down. There was no mistaking it, this wasn't a social call; this man wasn't here to make small talk.

"I am General Steven Adkinson, Commanding Officer in charge of the recently established Department of Meta-Human Regulation. We're traveling around the country, tracking down various 'meta-humans' as you call yourselves, to ensure that you perform your duty to your country by registering with the appropriate agencies," General Adkinson gestured and Major Glory passed him a document. The General unfolded it and laid it in front of the girls. Even Blossom was confused trying to make heads or tails of it.

"It's actually a very simple process. For you two," General Adkinson pointed at Bubbles and Buttercup, "You merely fill out a form that registers your home town, base of operations, secret identity, and occupation with the government. Given your age, you'll continue to attend school as per usual, but there will be a government agent stationed in Townsville who will...let's say direct you. Rather than answering your Hot Line to receive your orders, you'll receive them from this officer. As for you," The General turned to face Blossom, who fearlessly met his gaze...for a brief period before self-consciously touching her bracelet.

"Yes...sir?" She responded after a tense moment of silence. The General smirked and leaned forward once again.

"You are an interesting case. Now, historically speaking, you've acted with the Nation's best intentions at heart, just like your sisters here. I can't deny that, the paperwork and research shows it. But see, we have an issue with this tiny little seven hour period of time about..five months ago. Do you see where I'm going with this?" Blossom grit her teeth, but slowly nodded. Her chest was tightening, her pulse was raising, her bracelet was starting to hum as a pinching electric current dug into her skin. The General nodded. Unaffected by her intensifying glare, his own gaze darkened as he folded his fingers and rested them against his chin.

"So...we were in quite a pickle. Here's a kid who was, at one time, one of the greatest heroes in the country, probably the world. One slip up, one little 'mind control' I believe was the excuse, and suddenly she's calling herself a god and damn near rips the entire planet in half. Now, as I understand it, you're all better, you got your slap on the wrist, and it'll never happen again, is that so?" Blossom's lip twitched. She barely managed to suppress a snarl. Who did this man think he was? Sure...he had Major Glory and a small unit of armed soldiers backing him, but what could they really do to stop her?

"That's...correct...sir..." She whispered, her voice trembling. Blossom nearly jumped when Buttercup grabbed her hand. She glanced at her sister, expecting to see a reassuring gaze. Instead she caught the broadside of a fiery death glare, aimed directly at the General.

"Blossom was being controlled by a monster way scarier than you've ever fought! I saved her!" Buttercup stated bluntly. The General glanced at Buttercup, who, unlike her sister, didn't falter. Blossom's gaze drifted down to Buttercup's hand, her bare wrist. She had no reason to. She was the most powerful person in the room.

"So I've heard...and since your testimony seems to carry a bit of weight in this area, we've agreed on a compromise. You'll register as a hero," Bubbles sighed in relief and Buttercup gave Blossom's hand another comforting squeeze, "But, your father has agreed to install the supervillain tracking microchip into that bracelet of yours. We want to know where you are, and just how much juice you're giving off. If the microchip ever loses signal, we're going to be there to find out why," Blossom trembled, staring blankly at the table. It was better than she had hoped, but what about...

"Uka-sensei..." she whispered, clamping her mouth shut the moment those wonderful words passed her lips. Buttercup raised her eyebrow, but no one else seemed to have heard.

"So, if you'll just take the time to fill out these forms, we'll get our tracking device installed and be on our way. You'll meet your new coordinating officer later this evening, after school of course," The girls nodded, grumbling inwardly and outwardly as they set out on their first adventure in the arduous task of filling out government paperwork. And they still had the school day to look forward to.

* * *

"My mom said that the monsters are being tracked now! That's so cool!"

"I heard all the villains have to wear like dog collars!"

"There's a lot of soldiers in town! I feel so much safer,"

"What about the Powerpuff Girls?"

"I heard Blossom has to wear a dog collar now!"

"Oh I wanna see that!"

Blossom ground her teeth, taking another vicious bite of her peanut butter sandwich. She wasn't wearing a dog collar, but knowing that some fancy government lackey was tracking her every move, down to how many calories she took in to how long she showered, made her sick nonetheless. She glanced to her left at Boomer, who was staring at her, tomato sauce on his face and half a banana poking out of his mouth.

"What?" he somehow managed to mumble through his mouthful. Blossom shook her head and returned to staring at the table. Uka-sensei wasn't in the lunch room and Baku was nowhere to be seen. Odds were, he wouldn't be popping up any time soon. Across the way, she saw Mr. Green, the friendly monster teacher, wearing a rather humiliating collar around his neck. Thankfully, the collar on his cape hid it for the most part, but Blossom couldn't help growling as she watched her peers point it out.

"Sorry...I'm just a little uneasy," Blossom mumbled. Boomer nodded, gurgling down another mouthful of food with a cleansing blast of chocolate milk.

"Yeah I know, this is a bunch of suck and fail," Boomer pointed out plainly. Blossom's eyes got wide; she turned and stared at her best friend. Boomer stared back, shrugging.

"What? It is..." Blossom lost it, and collapsed in a fit of giggles, holding her aching sides. She fell against Boomer, who laughed along with her. Somehow, she was sure he had no idea why. Blossom wiped her eyes and snickered, giving Boomer a gentle kiss on the cheek. Like always, he tensed up violently, though the blush and smile seemed to argue with his initial reaction.

"Boomer, I love you...you're the best," Boomer blushed brighter red and chuckled stupidly, scratching his head. Blossom sighed and leaned forward on her mitts, staring at her sisters from across the cafeteria. Boomer leaned closer to her, lowering his voice to only slightly too loud.

"So where's Aku? And did you see that army guy this morning?" he asked. Blossom nodded, looking over at the doors.

"Yeah...I don't know where Aku is, but we met with General Adkinson. I'm guessing you guys are registered now too, huh?" Boomer nodded, sighing.

"I don't know what it means, can you explain it?" Blossom took a deep breath and slowly went into a deep, lengthy explanation.

"It means they tell us how to be heroes..." was all she said. Boomer swallowed and shook his head, taking another bite out of the abomination he called a sandwich.

"I don't like that..." Blossom nodded. She didn't either...and she wasn't exactly on pins and needles about meeting her new boss. It was bad enough having a complete idiot call them to tell them what being a hero meant they had to do. Having some government tool tell them what to do was just going to be...humiliating. Blossom sighed and looked at the door again. If only she could talk to him in private. Maybe he could help her again.

* * *

"Girls, he's supposed to be here any time. Now, I want you to be on your best behavior. If you...he is technically...your..." the Professor stumbled on his words, sighing and fidgeting uncomfortably.

"Our boss?" Blossom said for him. The Professor turned a bit red and nodded. The girls sighed and slouched deeper into the couch. They'd been waiting for over an hour now. He hadn't given them a specific time, except that he was going to show up some time in the evening. So far, it had been a painfully long wait for a painfully long meeting. When they heard a knock at the door, all three sat up quickly and braced for the worst.

"I'll get it...hell...hello? You are..." The Professor was cut off by a rather young sounding voice with a thick accent.

"I am the Powerpuff Girls' new coordinating officer," The Professor chuckled and sighed.

"Well alright um...right this way..." The girls traded a confused glance...then shared an incredulous look as their new boss walked in. He was only slightly taller than they were, maybe only a few years older, with neat red hair and thick glasses. Dressed in a white smock and purple gloves he was...not at all impressive to look at.

"Greetings Powerpuff Girls, I am your new Coordinating Officer. You may call me Dexter, Boy Genius," The boy, Dexter, began to pace in front of the girls, staring them down as if sizing them up. He frowned as he and Blossom made eye contact. She couldn't help returning the expression.

"Very well, that is enough for stupid introductions. I'll make this very brief. When disaster strikes, I will contact you. You will act immediately and exactly as I instruct you. Is that clear?" Bubbles turned and looked at Buttercup to make some kind of response. The green-eyed Powerpuff girl was still flabbergasted, staring in disbelief at their alleged officer. Blossom raised her eyebrow and cleared her throat. Dexter turned to her, his glasses gleaming in the light.

"And what if your way is wrong?" Dexter chuckled and shook his head.

"It won't be," The two continued to stare each other down, until Buttercup broke the silence.

"Fine, whatever..." she muttered, defeated. Dexter nodded, turning to Professor Utonium. Before he could speak, Blossom jumped up from the couch.

"Are we done? I'm going to my room," Blossom strode away from the living room without waiting for a response. Downstairs, she could hear a brief argument between Dexter and Buttercup, which ended in the older student establishing a set training schedule for the girls. Blossom shook her head and rubbed her left arm. She wanted to care...she honestly wanted to try, to get back on the right track. But...she couldn't. Her arm was throbbing, her head was swimming. Blossom barely made it to her room, failing to even shut the door before collapsing into a restless sleep, alone in the dark.


	52. Mr Uka's Not So Mysterious Absence

"_**I see a bad moon arising**_

_**I see trouble on the way**_

_**I see earthquakes and lightning**_

_**I see bad times today"**_

**Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival "Green River")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 19**

A wicked roar rang out across the panicking city of Townsville. A three-colored rainbow shot across the skyline, dodging another deadly wave of spikes. The girls circled back around, panting and reassessing the situation.

"Dexter, the plan isn't working, this thing's hide is way too tough!" Buttercup shouted into her earpiece. The voice on the other end chuckled, responding in a chiding tone.

"Of course it will work! You just aren't doing it right! The monster is strong, but very slow, you just have to hit the underside of its fourth tail!" Buttercup groaned and glanced at her sisters. Bubbles was panting, but only seemed aggravated herself. Blossom, on the other hand, was doubled over, holding her sides and gasping for air. Her flight pattern was jagged at best, and try as she might, she just couldn't keep her eyes focused.

"Blossom? Hey! Red, are you going to make it?" Blossom swallowed and nodded, looking up at the monster and glowering.

"If he'd...he'd just let us...let us...do our j-j...job it would b-be d...done..." She muttered, standing up straight and sizing up the monster. It was a pretty boy: a twenty-seven story high snake beast with five arguing heads, each spitting something more dangerous than the next at them. Its body split into a whopping forty tails, each long and slender, twice the length of the body itself, and ending in a set of poisonous barbs that it could launch at will. Blossom rolled her eyes and doubled over again, scanning the streets.

Dexter's plan was probably accurate, but the truth was, they couldn't keep track of the fourth tail. Especially not when the tails themselves were trying to slam them and launching barbs at them while the mouths spewed fire, ice, lightning, gamma rays, and poisonous venom at them. It only made matters worse that Dexter demanded Blossom take part in the fight. She glanced at her sisters, who were worse off then she'd seen them in months.

Buttercup and Bubbles were no slouch in fighting monsters. With Blossom being a liability on the battlefield, they'd gotten better than they'd ever been before in her absence. But, now with Blossom stuck in the middle of a fight she just, honestly, couldn't keep up with, they were forced to babysit her while trying to stop the monster. None of the sisters were happy with their so-called "Coordinating Officer's" choices thus far...but this really bit the bullet.

"Just forget about me and follow his stupid plan, you know how he gets if we ignore his orders," Blossom muttered spitefully. Buttercup nodded—their first "objective" as Dexter called it, they had ignored his plan and just done what they always do, catch the crooks. Well, Dexter hadn't handled it well and had threatened to report them to the department. That was essentially a death sentence for Blossom, so they had humbled themselves and fought to make sure they followed his less than ideal orders to a tee.

Honestly, Dexter wasn't bad...he just didn't know how the Powerpuff Girls worked, nor was he keen on learning. Blossom shook her head and quickly found the fourth tail. While she was a physical liability...she still had her best asset.

"Okay, I've got the tail in my sights..." She whispered, quickly dodging a barrage of poison barbs. Buttercup whipped her head back and forth, counting as fast as she could. Blossom groaned and dodged a gamma blast, grabbing Buttercup's shoulder.

"If Bubbles distracts it, I'll lead you to the right tail and you can kill it!" Blossom hissed, avoiding the earpiece on Buttercup's left side. Buttercup nodded and waved her hand, getting Bubbles' attention between the volleys.

"Bubbles! Sonic Scream!" Bubbles nodded and batted a barrage of barbs aside—Blossom still couldn't believe how strong she could be at times—and let out a powerful scream, one that grew louder and higher with every second. Windows shattered and Blossom's ears rang, but the monster gave, like they always did, doubling over and howling in pain. Buttercup took off flying at breakneck speed, dodging the flailing tails.

"This one! Now!" Buttercup shot up the moment they were under the fourth tail. The underside was a softer shade of pink than the others, and the tail itself seemed to move slower. Blossom latched arms with Buttercup at the last second and the two began spinning. A pink and green Sonic Screwdriver tore through the fourth tail, completely severing it from the monster.

It screeched, a horrible, earthshaking sound. Blood gushed from the wound like a waterfall. Without a moment of hesitation, the monster took off at full speed, diving into the ocean, leaving behind a trail of murky, red water, filled with dying fish.

The sisters spun out of control, but with a sharp tug, Buttercup managed to pull Blossom into a tight hold and relatively easy landing. The two stared at each other incredulously, while Bubbles flew down to congratulate them.

"Wow! I've never seen you two do that before! That was incredible!" Blossom climbed out of Buttercup's arms. The Powerpuff leader was just as confused as she was.

"How did we do that?" Buttercup finally asked. Blossom shrugged and blushed.

"I didn't mean to...it just...was a spur of the moment thing, sorry..." Buttercup chuckled and scratched her head, looking at the hissing lake of monster blood behind them.

"Well it worked so...great job, girls!" Bubbles cheered again, just as Buttercup's headset came online again.

"Buttercup here, what's up?" The boy genius chuckled on the other end.

"So my plan didn't work, did it? Ugh...you girls need to work on not making a mess every time you stop some kind of disaster. Get to work cleaning this up," Buttercup yanked the earpiece out and shoved it into her pocket, growling.

"Good for nothing jerk! He just called to tell us to clean up this mess, no congratulations or nothin!" Blossom rolled her eyes and Bubbles huffed. That was Dexter's biggest problem. They were just stupid girls to him, he was the real hero. And typically...they were known for causing a bit of a mess. Perhaps one of the worst parts of the Meta-Human Regulation Act was that now...they had to actually stick around and clean it up.

And for messes like this one...that took...some...time...

* * *

"So what you're saying is...?" Buttercup narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, practically laying on the couch at this point. Blossom was tucked away in the corner, leaning on the arm of the couch, while Bubbles was the only one sitting up and paying more than a token attention to Dexter's evaluation of their performance.

"You performed better than anticipated, but still below the level of efficiency we expect from you," Dexter explained, staring at the dry-erase board he'd filled with equations and bullets. He nodded, turning to face the girls with a small smirk.

"I was, admittedly, impressed with that last maneuver, my tests had told me you two weren't capable of that particular formation," Blossom just sighed and raised her eyebrow, while Buttercup sat up straight, cheeks red.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She demanded. Dexter chuckled and tapped his marker against the board.

"If you had been paying attention, I already explained that. In both simulation and in observation of your...training session," Dexter rolled his eyes, "You and Blossom were incapable of the...what did you call it? The Screaming Sunday driver?" He shook his head, ignoring Bubbles and Buttercup's outburst of "Sonic Screwdriver".

"Regardless, this looks promising. You're still far behind in your training, and your efficiency rating is...well," He chuckled again, "Non-existent. But we'll work on that. We're going to increase your training to every day before and after school," Another outburst that Dexter, and Blossom, ignored. Blossom sat up, staring at her left arm. A week after Dexter's arrival, and it wasn't getting better. Usually she could ignore it but...tonight it was just unbearable. Throbbing...trembling...aching. Like something wanted to get out.

"Are we done?" She asked, interrupting Buttercup and Dexter's argument. The pain in her arm was routine, but the pain in her abdomen...that was a little more telling. Dexter cleared his throat, trying to get control of the group again.

"We still have-" Buttercup interrupted him, scooting closer to Blossom.

"Is it uh...that...time...again?" Blossom would have laughed, seeing Buttercup so flustered, but...she was right, and Blossom wasn't in the mood. She nodded and Buttercup jumped up.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You can lecture us tomorrow, Dexter," An argument was ready to burst, so Blossom slipped away while the two "leaders" were preoccupied. Blossom grumbled, fumbling with the doorknob. She stepped into her room, only to be blasted with a wave of heat. She gasped, spinning around and staring at the rising walls of frozen fire. She heard a powerful chuckle and spun around, her cheeks heating up seeing him, the God of Evil, Aku, seated in his throne. Bigger, more powerful than anything in the world. Little Blossom flew up to him and tried to look stern despite her joy.

"Aku! You...you're still...where have you been? You haven't been in class for a week! A week!" She screamed, emphasizing, in case he wasn't sure, that he had been missing for an entire week. Aku chuckled and gestured for Blossom to take a seat on his lap. As she floated down, he shrunk, until he was just big enough to cradle her as she snuggled against him, moaning and biting back tears of joy.

"I thought they fired you..." Aku laughed, shaking the entire Pit of Hate.

**"Do not be foolish, Blossom. No weak administration would be so brave as to relieve the almighty Aku of his duties!"** Aku laughed again and Blossom giggled, looking up at his face. Aku sighed and rested his cheek on his hand, **"Aku was...however, required to take a leave of absence,"** Blossom gasped, hands flying to her mouth.

"That isn't fair at all! Why would they do that? You can't let them take your job away just because you aren't human! You haven't even been bad!" Aku nodded and patted Blossom's head, shrugging in defeat.

**"Perhaps, but apparently 'Uka scares the children' and 'The children don't like Mr. Uka', FAH! Those brats should be so lucky to receive a real education from the mighty Aku!"** Blossom nodded, pulling her knees up to her chest. A thought suddenly crossed her mind. She looked up at Aku warily.

"Are you registered?" Aku raised his eyebrow and looked down at her, "With the Department of Meta-Human Regulations?" Aku huffed and waved his hand dismissively. Blossom swallowed nervously. That had to be why Aku disappeared suddenly. If he didn't register, he was labeled a threat. Granted, no one could really stop him...except Buttercup. And she thought he was dead, and Blossom hoped to keep it that way.

**"Aku refuses to bow to petty human whims. It is disgrace enough that he must follow some lacking administration's rules in governing his own class!"** Blossom lowered her head and sighed. Aku would be too proud to register, wouldn't he? Not that she could blame if, if she'd had a choice. If she had a choice, what would she have done?

"I really, really miss having you as a teacher," She said, interrupting his raving. Aku blinked and sighed, patting her head.

**"Aku misses watching you grow, child. However, as it stands, he cannot return without inciting some kind of conflict,"** Blossom nodded and snuggled into his arms. She noticed her bracelet, but, as if reading her mind, suddenly the two were back in her room. Blossom smiled and curled up under her blanket. Aku gently rubbed her back, watching her with an unbroken gaze. Slowly, she began to drift off to sleep.

Maybe there was something she could do. There had to be something...anything...to get Uka-sensei back...

* * *

As of late, class had been less exciting and worth paying attention to. Sure, there was the occasional pop quiz, which Blossom sleepwalked through. Then there were the moments when the rest of the class was stumped, which frankly were few and far in between now, where she had to raise her hand. But...really, it was the drama she missed the most. She missed Uka-sensei's wild, theatrical gestures and his big, booming voice.

While Class A11-21 hadn't been able to get a human teacher, they had received Mr. Green in Uka-sensei's absence, which was almost the same thing as having a human. Blossom loved Mr. Green, he was a great teacher who loved kids and knew his material, but...he just wasn't Uka-sensei. Boring lesson after boring lesson—boring in a sense that it was on a level the rest of the class could keep up with—Blossom spent most of her team wondering just what kind of powers Mr. Green had.

Oh, he had to have some. The government had forced a red tracking collar on him—the highest threat level a monster could be labeled. But...in the year she'd known him, Blossom had never seen even an ounce of Mr. Green's power. He didn't even occasionally display super strength like Uka-sensei, he was just...so human. So, bored and physically exhausted from Dexter's five a.m. training session, Blossom resolved to find out. But more than anything, she was determined to find a way to bring back Uka-sensei.

The bell for lunch rang a little later than usual. Not a completely new occurrence, but one that annoyed the students nonetheless. Blossom watched Mr. Green carefully, as he waved and wished her classmate's a good lunch and fun recess. She overheard Princess cough "suck up" as she left, but ignored it. She had more important things to deal with. Mr. Green smiled, noticing that Blossom was the only student left.

"It's lunch time, Blossom! Hey, kiddo...you look pretty tired," He knelt down beside her desk, tentatively checking her temperature. "A little warm, are you feeling alright?" Blossom snapped out of her daze and nodded.

"I'm just exhausted from our training this morning," she explained. Mr. Green nodded and gave her a pat on the back.

"I noticed they're running you girls ragged out there, but, just so you know, I think you're doing a great job! I saw how you handled Jeremiah yesterday," Blossom raised her eyebrow and Mr. Green chuckled. "Sorry, that snake monster. He was a friend of the family, had a gambling addiction," Blossom giggled and nodded, climbing out of her seat and fishing for her lunch sack.

"Why thank you! Say...Mr. Green, what do you do for fun?" Mr. Green blinked and scratched his horns.

"Hm, well, usually I like to visit the clubs around town. Mostly to hear the up and coming bands, Townsville has a thriving underground music scene!" Blossom giggled and nodded, grabbing her sack.

"Did you ever go with Uka-sensei?" Mr. Green laughed and leaned against his desk.

"Why, yes! Actually, we spent quite a lot of time getting to know each other. He's really a great guy once you get passed the attitude that most Old Ones have," Blossom sat back down.

"Old One? He isn't that old is he?" Mr. Green smirked and crossed his arms.

"He's a few hundred years old, definitely an Old One though. That's basically what the modern monster calls his great, great grandparents. There were quite a few famous Old Ones: Cthulhu, Godzilla, Gamera...Uka-san is definitely one of them. They're all pretty similar, have the same 'Us versus Them' attitude toward humans. But oh, the stories they can tell!" Blossom sighed blissfully. So Mr. Green respected Aku too? No wonder he was her favorite substitute!

"Wow! Do you know when he's coming back? I really...miss him..." Mr. Green walked over, patting Blossom on the shoulder.

"I noticed, you aren't as active in class as he always said you were. You know, he was always bragging about you," Blossom blushed and looked up.

"Really?" Mr. Green nodded, smiling.

"Really...and no, unfortunately, I don't know when he's coming back. Knowing that he's an Old One...he may never come back. He wouldn't stomach the Meta-Human Regulation Act," Blossom nodded. Aku had told her that much himself. Still, there had to be some way...

"Um...so what are you doing for Halloween?" It was only a week away, afterall. Surely Monstro-Americans had fun with it too, right? Mr. Green laughed and smoothed out his cape.

"Well, actually, I was invited to Principal Durry's faculty party this weekend. They're usually a lot of fun, she may be a stiff at work, but Miss Anne Durry knows how to throw a party!" He sighed wistfully and sat down at his desk, cheek on his hand.

"I just wish I had a date..." Blossom frowned and walked over to him. It was her turn to pat him on the shoulder.

"I'm sure you could find someone..." Mr. Green chuckled and shook his head, tugging on his collar.

"Not with this thing, I'm afraid. Most humans avoid me like the plague and most monsters in my classification...well they don't fit in doors too well," He explained.

"That's not fair! Why are you a red class anyway? I've never even seen your powers before," She asked, leaning in a bit closer. Mr. Green sat up straight and flexed his hand. A purple glow appeared around it, letting off sparks and bursts of black fire.

"Well, to tell you the truth I almost never use my powers, but I am actually classified as a Dark Master Warlock. The only one that's been born in the last thousand years," Blossom stared in awe.

"Wow...that's incredible!" He wiggled his fingers and the glow dissipated.

"My, look at the time, young lady! You had better hurry to lunch, you've got class and more training after recess!" Blossom gasped and hurried for the door. She stopped for a moment, then turned back to Mr. Green.

"Mr. Green, thanks for talking to me, I feel better now," He laughed and gave her a friendly wave.

"It's no trouble at all, Blossom! You know I'm always there for my students," Blossom smiled and hurried to catch the last few minutes of lunch. Principal Durry was having a Halloween party...maybe...somehow that could help get Uka-sensei back.

* * *

That night, the Utonium family and Ms. Keane sat, cozied up on the couch watching a new episode of the girls' favorite show, TV Puppet Pals. The adults sat side by side, Bubbles on the Professor's other side, while Blossom sat on Ms. Keane's free side. Buttercup laid on the floor, kicking her legs, entranced by the show. The girls groaned as it faded to a commercial, but Blossom used that opportunity to strike.

"So, Principal Durry is having a Halloween party this weekend..." Ms. Keane nodded, but Buttercup turned around to look at Blossom like she was crazy.

"How do you know that?" Blossom shrugged.

"Mr. Green told me," Ms. Keane perked up, smiling brightly.

"Oh, Barthandelus was invited? I'm so happy for him! The parties really are a lot of fun!" All three of the girls stared at Ms. Keane incredulously.

"Barthandelus?" Buttercup repeated. Ms. Keane nodded.

"Oh, I forgot, you girls have never heard his name have you?" They shook their heads, "I'm sorry, but it is nice to hear! Is he taking anyone?" Blossom sighed and shook her head.

"No, no one will go with him because he's a red class monster," Buttercup stuck her tongue out, turning back to the television.

"That's stupid, he's not dangerous at all..." Blossom nodded and Ms. Keane sighed.

"The poor boy...if I didn't already have a date, I'd go with him," She giggled and the Professor turned six shades of red. The girls all giggled. Inside, Blossom's mind started working at a mile a minute. Maybe there was someone Mr. Green could take...

The happy, comfortable air in the room was cut off when a news flash interrupted the show.

"We're sorry to interrupt the scheduled programming, but recently appointed Chief Wednesday has issued a missing person's announcement for nine-year-old Amanda Beguile," The family stared at the picture of Amanda. She was a freckly faced little red-haired girl, who looked more than a little nervous in the school photo that was displayed. The communication device Dexter had built for the girls began to beep wildly.

"Be safe, girls!" The Professor called. He was barely heard as the trio shot off into the city.


	53. The Womanization of Aku

"**_I hear hurricanes a-blowing_**

**_I know the end is coming soon_**

**_I fear rivers over flowing_**

**_I hear the voice of rage and ruin__"_**

**Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival "Green River")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 20**

The search had turned up empty. No leads, no suspects, and worst of all, no sign of the victim. The girls had done their best, God only knows they had tried their hardest. But by midnight, they were forced to give up. With the police force only back up to about ten good men and women, there was only so much they could do to make progress. Blossom sat on Aku's lap, staring at the frozen fire. Sometimes images appeared to her, just like they did for Aku. She kept hoping this would be one of those times.

**"Your search gathered nothing?"** Aku asked, tentatively touching her arm. Blossom shook her head. Had they found anything, any shred of evidence, she wouldn't have felt nearly as helpless as she did now. But to find nothing, not one single hint of a clue. It was infuriating.

"Nothing..." She repeated. Aku sighed and gave her a tight squeeze.

**"Something will arise. Aku could always employ his minions..."** Blossom shook her head. That would be helpful, no doubt. But if even one person saw one of the minions, they'd know Aku was still around. And, much as she wanted to help that girl, she wouldn't risk Aku's safety for anyone.

"I'll figure out something..." She assured him. Aku nodded, a proud smile playing at his lips.

**"You will, no doubt, Blossom. There is no need to trouble yourself so deeply,"** He pointed out. He was right, of course. He was usually right, there was nothing to worry about. They'd figure this out, they always did. She always did. Blossom perked up, suddenly remembering something she DID have a lead for!

"Oh! Aku! I think I know how you can get your job back!" Aku blinked in surprise and leaned closer, eying Blossom warily.

**"Do you now, child? Please! Inform Aku of this plot,"** Blossom smiled and brushed her hair out of her face. Aku tenderly tucked the other side back.

"Well...you know Mr. Green, right?" Aku chortled and sat back in his throne, stroking his beard.

**"Barthandelus! Of course! We are most well acquainted...he is an exceptional monster, though...significantly less destructive than the last Dark Master Warlock...nevertheless! He is a trusted companion of the mighty Aku,"** Blossom squealed happily. Her plan could work, it had to!

"He can help you get your job back!" Aku perked up, again leaning in close to Blossom, eying her carefully. She grinned brightly, her cheeks flushed.

"Principal Durry apparently has these really big Halloween parties every year, and Mr. Green was invited...but he doesn't have a date! See? You could go with him and convince Principal Durry to give you your job back!" Aku sat back in his throne, staring at Blossom incredulously. Blossom was still beaming with pride. It was the perfect plan!

"See? Principal Durry is way less strict outside of school, so if you and Mr. Green could just butter her up, you could talk her into letting you come back as a teacher!" Aku narrowed his eyes, his eyebrows thinning to smoldering embers. Blossom only beamed brighter.

**"You intend for Uka to attend this...party as Barthandelus' escort?" **Blossom giggled and shook her head.

"Of course not, silly! You'll be disguised as a woman!" Aku narrowed his eyes more. Blossom sighed and stood up on his lap, putting her mitts on her hips. "Do you want your job back or not?" Aku pouted, but slowly nodded.

"Then we're using my plan! It will work! We just have to create the right disguise. I want you to shapeshift into a sexy, seductive woman! Then we'll get a name for you and work on your mannerisms," Blossom floated out of Aku's lap, while he stood up, grumbling and began to change.

**"What fault is there in the mannerisms of Aku?"** Blossom slapped her forehead.

"That's exactly it! The way you speak is too unique! Anyone would be able to tell it was you if you spoke the same way," Aku grumbled again, nodding. He continued shifting through various forms until suddenly Blossom gasped, hands flying to her mouth.

"Use that one! Please!" Aku stood up straight and crossed his arms, still glaring at Blossom, who was flying around him, nodding and grinning wildly. Aku was tall, though definitely shorter than he had been as Uka. He was probably about Mr. Green's height, with dark green skin and short black hair. His outfit, it would actually compliment Mr. Green's quite well, she noted. A long, Gothic, form-fitting black dress with thigh high boots and gloves that came all the way up his arms.

"Did you just think of this form?" She asked, still in awe. It was perfect! Aku grumbled and stroked his chin, obviously missing his beard.

**"Do not doubt the creativity of Aku,"** Definitely an accident, Blossom figured. She crossed her arms and tapped her chin.

"You'll need a different voice..." Aku, ever the happy camper, glowered and cleared his throat.

"Does the sound of this voice please you, Red Child?" He asked, speaking without his godly tone. Honestly...it was just Uka's voice in a falsetto. Blossom glared at him.

"No, that's terrible! You always do the same voice! You need to really try. Think of the sexiest voice you can imagine!"

"But that would just sound silly," Aku responded, mimicking Blossom's voice perfectly. Blossom turned three shades of red, covering her mouth. She giggled and wiped her eyes, giving the womanly Aku a tight hug.

"O-Okay...h-how about just...really different..." Aku chuckled and hugged her, whispering in her ear in a new voice.

"Perhaps this voice is suitable for Aku?" That would work, that didn't sound a thing like Aku. It sounded like...like an older Buttercup really, but it fit, perfectly. Blossom pulled away, looking Aku up and down again. They had a voice, they could work on speaking differently, and they had a look...all they needed now was-

"A name...what do we call you?" Aku put his—or rather, her—hands on her hips and grinned brightly.

"Why, Akura of course! It is a fitting name for a such a form for the mighty, Aku!" Blossom only glared at her, and shook her head.

"No one will be fooled by that! Man...you are terrible with names...we need something that no one else will be able to figure out," Aku pouted again, crossing her arms and sitting angrily in her throne.

"Aku was most pleased with the name Akura...very well, then, smarmy child! What is your suggestion? Put that fantastic mind to use!" Blossom blushed and glared playfully back. Still, it was proving a little harder than she anticipated.

"Akura...Akura...I...Ikura...no that means something um...I..kra...Ikra! We'll call you Ikra!" Aku raised an eyebrow and tapped her lips.

"Ikra...it is...I suppose a fitting name, though do not think for a moment Aku is unaware of how you started with his suggestion, child!" Blossom squealed, giggling when Ikra pulled her into a playful, ticklish hug. The two giggled, as the Pit of Hate faded away and they laid back on Blossom's bed. Blossom yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"You're tired, Blossom...you should rest now," Blossom shook her head, stifling another yawn.

"First, we have to work on how you speak!"

* * *

It was yet another boring day in class. And yet, Blossom was on the edge of her seat, staring at the clock and praying for the bell to ring. She had an important mission, more important than any super heroic activity she'd ever taken part in. The moment that bell rang, she needed to...to confess something to one of the few people she felt she could still trust.

"Triton," Blossom answered half-heartedly. Mr. Green said something, probably praise for getting the answer right, but she was too concerned with just how to convince him to follow through with her plan. Like Aku had said last night, Mr. Green was ultimately a good person and that could get in the way of doing something a bit...sneaky, like sneaking Aku into Principal Durry's party. And just how much did she need to tell him? Should...she say it was Uka, or should she tell him the truth? Did he already know the truth? Aku was a notorious braggart, it's possible Mr. Green already knew.

"Alright, class, so remember, we'll be having a test tomorrow, and I expect you all to do your best!" With that, the bell rang and the class began to file out for the day. She didn't have long, her training was only thirty minutes after class let out. Dexter wasn't about to let them skip on training...even if they had a kidnapping to figure out.

"Hey, Bloss, are you coming?" Buttercup asked, stopping by her desk. Blossom blinked and looked up. What was that on her sister's jacket sleeve? She'd seen that mark before...

"Oh right! Yeah, I just need to ask Mr. Green a few questions about the test, I'll be there as soon as I'm done!" She responded, regaining her train of thought. Buttercup shrugged and gave her a pat on the shoulder as she left.

"Alright, I'll keep Super Nerd busy until you get there," The two laughed and Buttercup hurried out to catch up with Bubbles. Mr. Green shuffled the papers on his desk, smiling as Blossom floated up to him.

"So you had a few questions? How can I help you, Blossom?" Blossom scratched her head and looked back at the door. Anyone could walk in...it needed to be fast. She took a deep breath and looked at Mr. Green again.

"Can...I trust you with something...really...really important? Like...really important?" Mr. Green blinked and folded his hands, peering at Blossom with his one good eye. She always wondered what happened to the other eye...

"Is this about Mr. Uka?" Blossom bit her lip, glancing at the door again. She turned back and nodded, kicking one leg.

"Kind of..." she muttered. Mr. Green sighed and sat back in his seat.

"I tried to ask Principal Durry to let him come back, unfortunately, she seems content with him gone. He has that...effect on people," Blossom blinked and looked up. Did he know?

"Mr. Green...about Uka-sensei..."

"You mean, about Aku?" Blossom stared at Mr. Green in shock. He smiled and got up, glancing in the hallway before shutting his door. "He told me, right from the get go, actually. Even if he hadn't, the way you two are, I'd have figured it out. Part of me is surprised no one else has," Blossom blushed and rubbed her arm. There it was again...that...tearing pain.

"You haven't told anyone, have you?" Mr. Green chuckled and shook his head.

"Of course not! We're...friends, he and I. Not only that, but I think if I did, it would make things worse...on you, actually. And, well I know you've both done some horrible things, but well...maybe my being a monster gives me a different perspective,"

"See...I love children, and I love teaching. I'm just not into the whole genocidal, world domination scheme like the warlock before me was. But, does that make me a bad monster? Of course not. It means I'm comfortable with who I am, even if it's not what I'm expected to be," Blossom narrowed her eyes. Was he really...condoning...her attempt at destroying the world? She shook her head, she didn't have time for thoughts like that.

"So...so I have this plan to get Aku his job back! And I need your help!" Better to bite the bullet, she thought. Mr. Green blinked, kneeling down beside her.

"I'm listening...it's been too quiet around here without Mr. Uka stirring up the humans," he said with a chuckle. Blossom giggled and dug her foot into the ground.

"Well...he can...shapeshift, so I thought...maybe...he could be your date to the party, and then you could um...try to convince Principal Durry there?" Mr. Green gave her a look that...reminded her eerily of the look Aku had given her.

"You want me to escort...Uka?" Blossom shook her head, blushing.

"Of course not! We came up with a girl form he'll disguise himself as! She's really, really pretty! Everyone will be jealous of you!" Mr. Green chuckled and patted Blossom's shoulder as he stood up.

"That, I doubt, but...I'd be willing to give it a shot," Blossom squealed and flew up, giving Mr. Green a tight hug around the neck.

"That's great! Um...the party is Friday, right? Friday at seven? My parents...um the Professor and Ms. Keane, I mean, they're leaving around six-thirty, so maybe we could all get together a little after that and figure things out?" Mr. Green shook his head and sighed.

"I can't believe I'm asking but...will you be sneaking in too?" Blossom nodded, rubbing her arm again.

"For a little bit...but I'll probably be leaving to work on that kidnapping case..." Mr. Green nodded and sighed.

"Poor Amanda...I hope you find her, she's a great girl, if just a bit shy," Blossom nodded, then glanced at the clock. She slapped her head and groaned.

"Ugh...I'm going to be late for my training...then my tutoring...then my patrolling, I'm sorry! But thank you so much, Mr. Green! Thank you!" Mr. Green blushed a bit when she hugged him again.

"It's...my pleasure, really, now you be good. I expect you to do your best on the test tomorrow," Blossom grinned and nodded, grabbing her backpack as she rushed out the door.

* * *

"No, no, no! You stupid girls! That is not how that maneuver is to be performed!" Dexter yelled, glaring at the modified Danger Grid's display screen. The scene vanished, revealing three very irate Powerpuff Girls. Blossom's hair was a mess, and there was a bloody cut on her cheek. Buttercup had a black eye forming and was favoring her right leg, while Bubbles couldn't seem to stand up straight, or still for that matter. Dexter sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"We will just have to begin again from the beginning until you can perform the maneuver properly," The girls groaned and Buttercup strode forward, pounding her fist on the glass.

"Your stupid 'maneuver' doesn't work, Dexter! It's just getting our butts kicked!" Bubbles and Blossom nodded, backing up their sister's claim. The maneuver was, on paper, less complicated than most of Blossom's old formations, but in practice, it required more precision than was possible in the heat of battle. Dexter stood up and glared back at Buttercup.

"It works flawlessly! You stupid girls just can't focus! Stop daydreaming about candy and ponies and ribbons and whatever it is you girls think about and keep your heads in the game!" Buttercup screamed and punched the glass, this time cracking it. She stormed back to the other two, glaring through her right eye—her left eye was too swollen to really notice.

"Let's get this stupid formation right so we can get out there and look for that girl!" Blossom and Bubbles nodded, and the three heaved a synchronized sigh as the Danger Grid whirred to life once more. It should have been easy. There were four monsters, and the formation required them to, essentially, defeat them all in one go. Easy enough on paper.

"Begin!" Dexter shouted, and the girls took off, avoiding a slew of laser beams, heat rays, spikes, boulders, poison, razor blades, everything that could possibly be thrown at them. The girls got into position, in the middle of the four monsters, a few yards closer to the one throwing the razor blades at them.

"Blossom, how much time do we have?" Buttercup shouted, latching arms with Blossom. Blossom was keeping careful track of the time since the simulation started. They had to move at the precise moment, otherwise they'd end up in the dirt, again.

"Five seconds and counting," Buttercup nodded and tugged on Bubbles' arm.

"Get into position," Bubbles flew straight up, the moment Blossom shouted "Mark" and began spinning. There was just enough time for her to create a tornado, sucking up the razor blade flung at them. Buttercup threw Blossom toward Bubbles and caught a boulder hurled by the third monster. She spun and used the boulder to catch one of the razor blades, and then spun again, using it to block a laser beam shot by the second monster.

Bubbles stopped spinning, latching arms with Blossom the moment she reached her. The two started spiraling, while the razor blade that had been in the tornado shot through the third monster. Buttercup hurled the rock at the first monster, ramming the razor blade back into its throat, killing it, while Blossom and Bubbles...proceeded to spiral out of control and crash into her. The trio landed in yet another crater, and were promptly blasted by a heat ray and a shower of spikes.

The Danger Grid faded away again, the chaos replaced by the sound of Dexter's fist pounding on the console.

"What was that? Can't you do anything right?" Blossom groaned and sat up, pushing away from a spike that hit her arm. There was blood streaming down her left arm now.

"Bubbles came out of the tornado too hard, it threw me off balance..." She responded sharply. Bubbles frowned and muttered a half-hearted apology. Dexter slammed the console again.

"She came out of it perfectly! You screwed up! Didn't you invent that stupid Screaming Sunday Driver attack?" Blossom groaned as Buttercup grabbed her good arm and pulled herself up.

"It's Sonic Screwdriver you nerd! The Sonic. SCREWDRIVER!" Buttercup screamed, with enough force to shatter the busted glass. Dexter brushed the debris off his lab coat and crossed his arms.

"Whatever, the point is, you screwed up my perfect plan! Now we have to start over again!" Buttercup looked at her sisters. Blossom was hunched over. It was bad enough it was, that time, but now she was battered up twice as bad as her sisters. Bubbles was nursing a badly bruised cheek, but otherwise she was still good to go.

"No way, we're done, this stupid formation doesn't work," Blossom groaned and held her head. Did they always have to yell? Every single time, always yelling...and then yelling more.

"I have to go, Boomer needs my help on his homework, I'm already late..."

"I contacted his guardian and informed her that you wouldn't be showing up," Dexter said, cutting off her exit. Blossom whipped around, glaring at Dexter with renewed strength.

"What? Don't you ever change my plans for me!" She shouted, standing toe-to-toe with Dexter now. All the frustration of the last week was starting to surface. Her chest hurt, her stomach her, and her arm was killing her.

"I am your Coordinating Officer! It is my job to ensure you are spending your time wisely. You sneak out at night to see that stupid boy enough already!" Blossom gasped and stared at Dexter. Bubbles and Buttercup, in turn, stared at Blossom.

"You sneak out to visit Boomer?" Buttercup asked, a slightly...teasing tone in her voice. Blossom blushed bright red and shook her head.

"Of course not! You're lying!" Dexter rolled his eyes and pressed a button on his wrist watch. A holographic display appeared.

"At nine-fifteen last night, you were absent from your room. According to the tracking beacon, you were somewhere near Townsville Public Library for about an hour before returning," Blossom blushed darker still, while Buttercup snickered. Bubbles, she noticed, was only half-heartedly giggling.

"Alright fine! I went to see Boomer...but it wasn't what you think! I am just helping him with school, he has a really hard time with it!" Dexter smirked drolly, while Buttercup continued snickering.

"I'm sure...fine, training is over, get out on the town and find that missing girl," This time, the girls didn't argue. Blossom ignored Buttercup's suggestion to get patched up first. They had already wasted so much time, who knew where Amanda Beguile was now.

* * *

Blossom landed near a bus stop, panting and looking around frantically. It had been hours. The search was just as helpless as it had been the night before. Every shady bar she investigated, every Gang Green Gang member she cornered on the street, none of them had seen hide nor hair of Amanda. A good number of the Gang Green Gang members had been her classmates, and were just as horrified by her disappearance as Blossom herself was.

"This is hopeless...maybe his minions could help..." She whispered, sitting on the bus stop and nursing her still bleeding arm. It wasn't bad...but it was still bleeding. And worse, the more she aggravated the cuts, the more the pain that had been there for weeks now hurt. She got the distinct feeling that something in her arm wanted out...

"Blossom? Blossom, are you okay?" Buttercup flew down like a streak of lightning, landing at her sister's side. Blossom nodded, wiping the blood away from her cheek.

"I'm just...taking a break...ugh, I can't find anything! Please tell me you did..." Buttercup swallowed nervously and lowered her head.

"I f-found...something," Blossom perked up, jumping up and grabbing her shoulders.

"What! What did you find!" Buttercup shivered and looked up. Blossom's blood ran cold.

"Another girl is missing..."


	54. The Feminine Wiles of Aku

"**_Hope you got your things together_**

_**Hope you are quite prepared to die**_

_**Looks like we're in for nasty weather**_

**_One eye is taken for an eye,_"**

**Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival "Green River")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 21**

"This doesn't make any sense..." Blossom let her head fall back into her mitts, staring wide-eyed at the ground. Nearby, she could faintly hear Bubbles. Was she crying? Blossom closed her eyes, praying her own tears went unseen. How could this be happening?

"Why can't we find anything!" Blossom flinched and shook her head. She didn't know. It didn't seem possible. She heard a low voice shush a quiet sob. Another, rougher, voice spoke up. In his voice reflected the same disgruntled helplessness their leader displayed. How could this be happening?

"This guy is way too good..." There was a loud crack. Blossom's head shot up, just barely avoiding the debris. Buttercup snarled, punching the dumpster again, smashing it further into the solid brick wall next to it. Brick, himself, swallowed and crossed his arms.

"Or girl! Or monster! Or ghost! We don't know ANYTHING!" Buttercup screamed. Blossom had been afraid to look before, but now she could clearly see the tear stains streaking Buttercup's dirty face. It was three in the morning...they were all exhausted, and they'd exhausted anything even resembling a lead. And to top it all off...over the course of their search, they'd discovered yet another girl missing. How could this be happening?

"Hey, chill...we'll find them, alright? I mean, c'mon, there's six of us!" Brick tried his best to calm her down...but empathy wasn't his strong suit. He didn't know her like they did. Right now, Blossom thought, words meant nothing to Buttercup. What she wanted was action. What she wanted was justice. What she needed, was something to punch. With a resounding crash, Buttercup knocked the dumpster through the brick wall, staring at the gaping hole and collapsing into fresh tears. It was enough to bring Blossom and Bubbles down again too.

"I want to find her now! I have to find her now! I can't wait until tomorrow! We! Have! To! Find! Her!" With each scream, Buttercup punched the ground. Harder, and harder, until the alleyway they were resting in looked like a meteor landing site. Brick grumbled, unsure of what to do or say. Bubbles took that moment to go over to Buttercup and hug her. Butch joined Brick, looking just as confused and helpless. In fact, the only person who still seemed calm was the one sitting silently next to Blossom.

Boomer hadn't spoken since they landed. Every so often, he reached over and patted Blossom on the back. But now, with Buttercup's fury gone for a moment, he finally spoke, leaning closer to Blossom.

"I...I'm sorry," Blossom rubbed her eyes.

"Why?" She whispered. Boomer blinked and lowered his head.

"I...didn't find anything either," Blossom nodded. She couldn't blame him. They'd been searching for so long...and not one of them had found anything. Nothing...except two more victims. Twelve-year-old Renee Temsik, and...seven-year-old Julie Bean.

"We have to find her, Bubbles...we have to!" Bubbles nodded, helping Buttercup to her feet. Blossom slowly climbed to her feet, grabbing her sore arm. Most of her injuries from their botched practice had healed but...

"We won't find anything else tonight," She said, speaking out loud. It hurt to say, but nothing hurt as much as the looks Bubbles and Buttercup gave her. Blossom lowered her eyes, but spoke in the clearest voice she could.

"We...are tired. We didn't have supper, we spent lunch searching, and I know none of us slept that great last night," She took a deep breath and slowly let it out, "I don't want to say it any more than you want to hear it but...we can't keep searching like this. What we need...is to rest, and try again tomorrow," Buttercup bristled, ready to argue. For a second, Blossom hoped she would. That would feel almost normal. Then...she nodded and pulled her mitt from Bubbles' grip.

"Yeah, you need to rest. Listen, everyone else head home. I'm going to keep looking," Blossom shook her head.

"No, Buttercup, you can't," Buttercup turned away, crossing her arms. This was really eating her, Blossom noted. And to be honest, she knew how she felt. Buttercup had all the power in the world...but it was useless if she couldn't find the person to use it against. Right now...she felt as powerless as Blossom was.

"I can't give up, I just can't...I want you two to go home and get some sleep. I won't be able to unless I knew Julie is safe, alright?" Bubbles shook her head, grabbing Buttercup's arm.

"Buttercup-" The raven-haired puff jerked her arm away and spun around with fire in her eyes.

"That's an order! Now go home or I'm going to contact Dexter," Blossom and Bubbles traded a glance, one of the first they'd shared in months. Finally, realizing there was no arguing, the two nodded.

"Alright...just be careful," relented Bubbles. Buttercup nodded and took off into the night. Once she was out of sight, Brick turned to his brothers.

"Alright, chumps, we're gonna keep looking too," Butch and Boomer nodded. Blossom shook her head.

"No, you guys don't have to do that," Before she could finish, Brick cut her off with a harsh glare. She happened to catch a similar, one-eyed glare coming from Butch.

"We don't take orders from you, your Highness!" He barked. Blossom flinched and looked down, just in time to hide her own glare. Bubbles, thankfully, diffused the situation before it could become a confrontation.

"Butch, don't stay out all night, okay? You guys still have to go to school tomorrow," Butch sighed and crossed his arms. He and Brick glared at each other, then shrugged and nodded.

"Alright, fine, but I ain't leaving Buttercup out here by herself," Butch nodded. They agreed that he and Boomer would go home after a couple hours and Brick would stay behind to help Buttercup. To be honest, the girls were relieved to hear that.

"Good luck," Bubbles whispered. Boomer gave Blossom a confident nod. She smiled, giving him a small kiss on the cheek.

"Don't push yourself too hard...and thank you," Boomer blushed and flashed her a goofy smile before rocketing off to join his brothers. Realizing they were alone together, conversation died the instant the boys were gone. Bubbles swallowed and pointed toward home. Blossom nodded and in a silent flash, the two were on their way.

* * *

**Amanda Beguile**

** Renee Temsik**

** Julie Bean**

** What do they have in common?**

I don't know...

**Open your eyes and look, you know the answer**

I have to find them...I can't let them get hurt...

**What do they have in common?**

They...they're all girls...but...no...that isn't it...

**MORE**

They're all girls...seven to twelve years old...they're still just kids...I have to find them! But..

**YOU KNOW THE ANSWER**

It can't be...why...

**Open your eyes! You know the answer!**

We tried so hard and got so far but...in the end we just couldn't find them...I'm sorry Julie...

**You never quit before, just open your eyes. You know the answer.**

I don't know! I don't know the answer! How can I find them? How?

**Just open your eyes...follow the pattern. You know what he wants. You know the answer!**

The answer...

_ Amanda Beguile, a shy nine-year-old top-of-her-class with long red hair and a freckl_y _face._

The answer is...

_Renee Temsik, an outspoken twelve-year-old class president with short red hair and brown eyes._

I know the answer...

_Julie Bean, a cheerful seven-year-old friend of the Powerpuff Girls with curly red hair._

** Now open your eyes!**

I know the answer!

* * *

Friday was like some unspoken dream, one in which everyone held their breath, waiting anxiously for the nightmare to begin. And yet...somehow, the day seemed gone in the blink of an eye. Blossom found herself at her own doorstep before she knew what was happening. Buttercup never came home the night before. She hadn't been at school today. When Blossom went inside, she wasn't surprised to find her sister still absent. Bubbles said she'd go to find her, that gave Blossom ample time to prepare.

"Now when your sisters get home, promise me you'll have Buttercup go straight to bed, alright, Blossom?" Blossom nodded, waving absentmindedly as her parents slipped through the door. Where had the day gone? Where had the evening gone? No, she couldn't stop to think of that. Without a word to the Mayor, who she hadn't even noticed come in, Blossom slipped outside, joining the mysterious figure who had been lying in wait all night. She crossed her arms, looking less than pleased.

"It took you long enough...are you alright, child?" Blossom blinked and looked up at Ikra. Just like that, she snapped from her dreamlike state, flinging herself at the older demon turned woman. Ikra caught her with a small chuckle.

"Well...now this is more like it. Blossom, are you alright?" Blossom gave her a tighter hug. Her stomach felt like a lead weight, she could barely breath. She had to do this, and she had to do it tonight.

"I'm fine...your speech is really good," She commented distantly. She was torn: worry for her missing classmate, and adoration for her missing instructor. The two walked hand-in-hand to the bus stop where they would be meeting Mr. Green.

"You don't seem altogether...you didn't sleep well, did you?" Blossom sighed and rubbed her head. She hadn't slept much, to be honest. She spent most of the night wracking her brain to figure out their mysterious kidnapper. The answer, she realized just as she woke up, did little to ease her worries. In fact...

"I'm just sleepy...oh, hey! Mr. Green, we're over here!" Blossom called the warlock over, waving brightly. Mr. Green froze when he spotted Ikra, who crossed her arms and sighed. With a knowing smile, she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Barthandelus...it's good to see you again," Mr. Green swallowed and chuckled, his cheeks flushed darker still.

"Uka, I um...well I wasn't sure what to expect but...my, my, you certainly are an expert at...disguise," Blossom giggled and floated up to eye level with the two adults.

"I helped! Isn't she beautiful?" It was Ikra's turn to blush furiously, glaring at her precious student.

"Blossom...Aku is most uncomfortable with this situation as it is, you would do well to not agitate him further!" Blossom blushed and giggled. That was a slight problem: when Aku got flustered, he forgot how "Ikra" spoke and reverted to his normal speech pattern. As long as he stayed calm, though, that wouldn't be a problem.

"I'm sorry, you two just look so cute together!" The monsters looked at each other, then turned away blushing. Blossom nearly had another squeal attack watching them. Granted, she wasn't entirely sure why...they were just so adorable together! And the best part was, she wasn't nervous about Aku abandoning her or anything, so that made it alright!

"Okay, so everyone knows the plan?" She asked, finally composing herself. Ikra rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

"The plan? Isn't it to just get Durry drunk and talk her into letting me...I mean, my brother have his job back?" Blossom blinked and tilted her head. Okay, so it wasn't exactly the most intricate plan she'd ever concocted, but sometimes there was brilliance in simplicity. She clapped her mitts and nodded.

"That sounds about right!" The three were now walking down the sidewalk, talking in hushed tones. Mr. Green glanced back at Ikra and Blossom, clearing his throat.

"While I'm sure the plan will work...it is rather circumstantial. Not to mention, Principal Durry doesn't really have much to do with me. Or...most men," He muttered. Ikra chuckled and gave Mr. Green a comforting pat on the shoulder.

"Relax, Barthandelus...leave that vile woman to me, Aku is a master of seduction," The two monsters froze in their tracks as the air went silent and a pair of blazing eyes threatened to incinerate them both. Ikra cleared her throat and waved her hand.

"It will all be purely professional of course, just to get my job back," The child's temper vanished, replaced once more by excited calculating.

"Right! Oh but..." Blossom flew in front of the two, smiling sheepishly, "I know this is a big opportunity for you, Mr. Green, so you don't have to do all this. Right away, I mean...I want you to have fun, too!" Mr. Green chuckled and patted Blossom's head.

"Don't you worry about that, Mr. Uka...rather, Ms. Ikra and I are professionals at having fun!" Ikra and Mr. Green laughed, and Blossom stared at them, suddenly intrigued by whatever it was the two did when they got together. What did monsters do for fun? She gasped, covering her mouth so the adults wouldn't notice. Was she not fun? Did Aku hang out with Mr. Green because he was a monster and she was just a boring little girl? Blossom frowned and followed them in silence.

'He's probably a lot more fun than I am...I have to be in bed by seven-thirty most nights...and he's a grown up monster!' Blossom sighed and rubbed her arm. Today...surprisingly, had been the day her arm stopped hurting. Instead, her left arm had gone completely numb. She could only do minor movements, and even those were strained.

"What do you think, Blossom?" Blossom blinked, looking up at the two. Had they been speaking to her? Blossom blushed, trying her best to hide it. What to say? What to do?

"I..."

"We're here," Mr. Green announced, cutting off her stuttered reply. Blossom nodded. This was where they split up.

"How long will you stay?" Ikra asked, kneeling down, gently caressing Blossom's cheek. Blossom's stomach did flips and she almost started to float from the ground. It took all of her strength to stop grinning long enough to speak.

"I can only stay about an hour...I have something important to take care of," The monsters nodded: the kidnapper.

"Don't stay out too late, Blossom. The Mayor will start to wonder where you are," Mr. Green pointed out. Blossom rolled her eyes.

"He won't even notice I'm not there. Don't worry, though, I'll get home at a reasonable hour," Mr. Green nodded. Ikra leaned closer to Blossom, whispering in her ear.

**"If you need me...just ask, and Aku will be there,"** Blossom nodded. Before Ikra could pull away, Blossom gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. They both blushed, the younger taking a step back and covering her mouth with her working hand. Ikra gently touched her cheek. As she got up to leave, she kissed Blossom's other cheek and winked.

"I'll see you in class on Monday," Blossom waved slowly as the two went on their first date...with destiny of course.

* * *

The party was incredible. People in costumes as far as Blossom could see, which incidentally was quite far. Now, Principal Durry's home was nothing special. It was a nice two story home, white walls with a facade decorated in pretty flowers. The party itself was happening in her backyard, which was massive. A pool, buffet lines, live music performances, you name it. As big as Ms. Keane had said the party was going to be, Blossom still couldn't believe it when she finally saw it.

Near the punch were her parents, the Professor was dressed as a ghostbuster while Ms. Keane had decided to go as Velma from Scooby Doo. They looked cute together, Blossom thought with a smile. Principal Durry, herself, had donned her old Femme Fatale costume, much to Blossom's shock. Apparently, no one seemed to notice. Maybe she'd worn that costume long before her brief stunt as an armed bank robber. She shook her head, scanning the crowd for her boyfriend and his date.

There they were, Ikra and Mr. Green, standing near one of the snack tables, chatting it up with a teacher Blossom had never seen before. Tightening her focus, she managed to drown out the crowd sounds to zone in on Mr. Green's conversation.

"Ah, so you're the lucky lady Barthandelus mentioned, a pleasure, a real pleasure," Ikra looked uninterested as the older gentleman shook her hand. She glared at Mr. Green who offered her some tiny sausages. That did the trick, even in his disguise, Aku's appetite was ravenous. Blossom was all too thankful when he managed to control himself and eat at a nice, slow pace.

"Oh I know it is, Mr...Mustard," Ikra rolled her eyes again, but thankfully the laughing old man didn't notice, "Barthandelus has told me so much about you...what is it your students call you?" Blossom zoned out, turning to find her parents again. It would be awhile before Ikra and Mr. Green could confront Principal Durry...though by the looks of it, the dear principal seemed to be doing her part quite excellently in their little plan.

"Hello Cassie! It's so nice to see you again!" Principal Durry paused to snatch another martini, beaming rosy eyed at the happy couple. Ms. Keane giggled and patted the Professor's arm.

"It's nice to see you again too, Anne. I'm glad you were able to pull this party together so easily, all things considered," Principal Durry waved her hand dismissively, glaring at the house behind them.

"Yes, my dear husband, excuse me, ex-husband leaving made things a bit more difficult," Just as quickly as she turned bitter, the Principal was sweet and bubbly once more, "But! If it wasn't for that beautiful alimony check, we may not all be here tonight, so cheers!" She clinked her glass against the glass of club soda the Professor was holding and downed it in one drink. Even Blossom shuddered as the Principal scurried off to mingle some more.

"Her husband left her? Wow..." Blossom whispered, adjusting her seat in her hiding spot. It was no wonder Principal Durry seemed stressed lately. Maybe it also had to do with her crime spree...and her hatred of men. Blossom blinked, realizing she'd gotten lost in thought for too long. She quickly peeked out, nearly shrieking when she saw Principal Durry in heated conversation with Ikra.

"Ugh, I know, it is a crime they make you wear those necklaces. They don't match anything!" Principal Durry exclaimed, lightly poking the fake tracking collar around Ikra's neck. Ikra sighed and rolled her eyes, snatching another martini herself.

"It really is a crime, especially since most humans are more dangerous than most Monstro-Americans," Mr. Green muttered. Principal Durry, to Blossom's surprise, nodded and lowered her voice.

"I couldn't agree more. Give me one hard-working monster over some arrogant, backstabbing **man** any day!" The three toasted to that, while Blossom stared in disbelief. Principal Durry was getting along with Ikra? Was...it really going to be this easy?

"If that's the case, then why did you fire my brother?" Blossom and Mr. Green both froze and stared at Ikra, who had locked eyes with Principal Durry. The principal sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"To be honest...asking Uka to leave wasn't my decision. I was...forced into a corner and didn't have a choice. It was that stupid school board...all those stupid parents," Principal Durry plopped onto the nearest seat and sighed, resting her chin in one hand and swirling her drink with the other.

"Don't get me wrong, your brother is an arrogant, sadistic, defiant asshole," Ikra almost looked proud of that description, Blossom noted, shaking her head, "But as much as we bumped heads, I liked having him around," she took a long drink, snatching another martini as a tray passed by, "He was up front about everything. Answering to a woman didn't matter, to him, I was just another pathetic human," Principal Durry teared up, wiping her eyes, "I liked that so much about him. To him, I was just a human..."

Blossom smiled, while Mr. Green and Ikra moved in to comfort Principal Durry. She glanced at the time and gasped. It had been two hours already? She quickly, but quietly, took to the sky and shot off into the city. By now, Buttercup and Bubbles would have gotten home. They just had to! Buttercup hadn't slept in well over a day, she should have collapsed by now, and Blossom knew Bubbles would get her home.

"I know the answer..." She whispered, flying deeper and deeper into the city...until she reached the neighborhood where the three missing girls all lived. It made sense now, why hadn't she seen it earlier? Blossom touched down, alone, on the dark sidewalk. The streetlights in this part of town seemed dimmer than usual. Then again, it was one of the few parts of town that had working street lamps, what with the constant destruction hindering the city's repair.

"Dexter will be telling them to find me soon...he won't show if they're here," Blossom bit her lip and closed her eyes. **If you need me...just ask, and Aku will be there. **That thought alone gave her comfort. She didn't know what she was up against, but...she had someone powerful watching over her.


	55. Blossom Takes a Shot in the Dark

"_**Yeah, the night's not over**_

_**You're not trying hard enough**_

_**Our lives are changing lanes**_

_**You ran me off the road,"**_

**Reptilia (The Strokes "Room on Fire")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 22**

Taking a deep breath, praying to Aku that she'd made the right decision, Blossom took her first step down the dimly lit, abandoned sidewalk. The night air was frigid, colder than October typically dared to be. Blossom's hair blew freely in the gentle breeze; the Powerpuff girl watched the brightly colored leaves drift lazily across the street. The houses on the other end were hidden in shadow, practically invisible beyond the hazy glow of the streetlights. Taking another breath and holding it, Blossom made her way toward the intersection.

Every time she passed under the glow of the lights, she swore she could see someone, or something, flit out of view just at the edge of the light. When she stepped back into the darkness, Blossom couldn't help looking over her shoulder, expecting to find someone else cast in the light's shine. She shook her head and faced forward.

She neared the end of the sidewalk, a desolate four way intersection. Biting her lip, Blossom happened to glance to the left. There, she saw it. At the end of the street, there was a tall figure slipping into the shadows. She only caught a slight glimpse of him—she was sure it was a man—but that was enough. With only a passing glance back, Blossom hurried across the street. She licked her lips—they were cotton dry.

'Keep it together, Blossom...you've fought monsters a thousand times stronger and scarier than some...some lunatic,' She thought, though her own encouragement did little to ease her worries. This man had evaded their capture for three days. There was no way he was just some...lunatic. In the back of her mind, Blossom raced through the catalog of villains the girls had encountered in the past. Could any one of them be responsible?

'Woah!' Blossom dove behind the nearest mailbox, her heart racing at a thousand miles an hour. Focusing on her X-Ray vision, she peered over her shoulder, staring at the dark figure now staring her way. Maybe it was the combination of the darkness, the mailbox, and her overall weakness, but from a distance, Blossom couldn't get an I.D. on the kidnapper. He looked just too...generic.

'Not Mojo or Fuzzy...it wouldn't fit their motives anyway...gotta move!' Blossom crept out from her hiding place, making an effort to be more careful. They rounded another street corner, ducking into an alleyway. Blossom had to take to the air to keep up, and to keep hidden. The figure was nervous...he wasn't a seasoned criminal, by the looks of things. 'How then...' she pondered.

The night got colder and the wind started to pick up. The figure passed through a creaking gate, strolling through a picturesque lawn, pausing to look over his shoulder once he reached a pair of oak doors. Blossom stayed where she was, hidden in the bushes. All this time, he was hiding in a building that size? That couldn't be it, that didn't make sense. She knew for a fact they had searched that place.

It was the First Church of Townsville...the building was ancient, but still active. There was no way he could be hiding three little girls somewhere inside. Someone had to notice! Blossom jumped from the bushes. He had disappeared inside.

"This doesn't make sense...we searched that building!" She muttered, creeping closer. She reached the doors, making a quick sweep beyond them with her X-Ray vision. Nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, she couldn't even find the man she was tailing! Blossom crossed her arms, staring at the doors and weighing her options. There was no way he could have disappeared or left the building. That meant he was somewhere inside. And wherever he was, it was somewhere that even Powerpuff super vision couldn't see. Somehow, Blossom had the feeling that this man wasn't working alone.

"Okay...you can't waste time. God only knows what will happen to those girls if I don't save them now. After all..." she trailed off, unable to complete her thought. She knew the answer. That's all that mattered.

Taking one last look around, Blossom gently pulled the door open just enough to slip inside. She softly shut the door behind her, looking around again. The lobby was as obnoxious as she remembered. Fliers and bulletins in every crevice, a gaily carpeted floor that must have cost more than the cheaply made playground in front of the building. And the doors to the chapel, they were ridiculous. Gold-plating, made from polished maple. She shook her head and started looking around. They must have missed something. Or rather, something must have avoided them.

'Okay, get ready...' Blossom slipped into the chapel, again making sure the door shut quietly behind her. She took to the air, scanning the room for any sign of ambush. Like before, it was completely empty. The floor led to a basement that held the boiler room. The boiler room didn't lead anywhere at all. It was just a big, expensive, empty building. Blossom licked her lips and floated down to the floor. The chapel hadn't been disturbed. The air was stiff before she entered. That meant, he must have gone somewhere else. Sneaking between the pews, Blossom made her way to an unmarked door just to the right of the altar.

The door led to a small hallway, which in turn led to several small classrooms. Sunday school classes for the children, apparently to give them some excuse to feign interest, Blossom mused. She peeked inside the first room. Lines of pews, a desk at the front, and a blackboard. She frowned; there was absolutely nothing out of place in the entire building.

As she turned to go, Blossom caught a glimpse of a book sitting open on the desk.

'A Bible, obviously,' She thought, hovering over to see what had been so important the reader hadn't had the decency to close the book. The pages were a mess, covered in red ink on practically every page. Most of the lines—verses, she reminded herself—were crossed out. However, there was one that was underlined seven times, and circled another seven times. Blossom frowned, floating closer.

_I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. _

'Why would he underline that...' Blossom thought, glancing around the room again. She noticed the drawings that had been erased from the blackboard. Narrowing her eyes, Blossom was able to make out the images. Names, shapes, lines...nothing that made too much sense. That is, until she saw something written in the corner. It was a list of names...three of them had been crossed off.

'Amanda Beguile, Renee Temsik, and Julie Bean,' Blossom ground her teeth. Her bracelet sizzled slightly, but she managed to ignore it. So this was it, he kept erasing his work. Thank Aku for superhuman vision, she thought with a smug smirk. Blossom wandered from that classroom into the next one. The scene was much the same, except there was a variety of third-rate boardgames stuff in a cupboard. She shook her head, hoping she'd never have to suffer through a game of Heavenopoly.

'Another one...' It was another Bible, just as tattered as the first. This time, however, there was a different line underlined and circled, again, seven times each.

_Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. _

'This guy can't be serious...' Had he actually taken his plan from the Bible, of all places? Blossom crossed her arms. No, it wasn't that simple. The lines weren't in any particular context. Maybe...he was just using them to justify his actions? But without the context. She shook her head. She didn't have time to understand his rationale, she had to find those girls!

Blossom scanned that room for any other clues, but her search came up empty-handed. No hidden drawings, no frantic scribblings. Just a lonely, tattered, vandalized Bible. Blossom crept back into the hallway and looked around. There were seven classroom, she noted. Each verse was circled and underlined seven times...this guy had a problem, she thought, shaking her head. Blossom entered the next classroom and went straight for the Bible, sure enough, sitting open on the desk.

_Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. _

Blossom shook her head immediately heading for the next room. This guy seriously seemed to have the idea that he was somehow...blessed with a mission. What kind of power did he believe himself to have? What did he hope to gain by kidnapping little girls? She surmised that maybe, just maybe, he was doing it as a warning? That had to be it. He intended to keep kidnapping children until the city repented for some kind of crime. Or gave him power. She still wasn't sure.

With the next room, she found another Bible. Blossom snapped out of her thoughts and glanced around the room. There were dolls...everywhere. Dolls of little David, Goliath, Jesus, Moses...Blossom shivered and leaned over the next Bible.

_They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. _

Blossom froze in her place. In context, it was a comforting line. However...she hurried out of the room. He was going to kill them. First he was going to starve them, then he was going to kill them. Blossom rushed into the next room, pausing and leaning against the desk. They were in the dark...somewhere under the church? Somewhere cold...Blossom swallowed and leaned over the next Bible.

_And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. _

'The sun and air were darkened...' He couldn't mean...

"Aku," Blossom whispered. Blossom read the line over and over again. Had the Bible somehow predicted Aku's return? Was this...this stupid man trying to fight Aku? As far as Townsville was concerned, Aku was dead! Maybe...maybe it wasn't just Aku. She continued considering the implications as she found the sixth Bible.

"Maybe..." Blossom peered over the next book, arms crossed, brow furrowed in deep concentration. There had to be something more to this. Kidnapping little girls wouldn't bring Aku out...it just didn't make sense. Why little girls?

_And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? _

The beast given power by the dragon...it was the dragon that was thrown into the bottomless pit. Then that meant...he wasn't after the dragon. Blossom narrowed her eyes and went into the last room. She gasped, quickly covering her mouth with her right arm—her left arm was gone by now, completely numb. This room was covered in Bible pages, each more scribbled on then the last. There were verses painted in blood red, verses carved into solid wood, verses torn into the carpet. Blossom turned to the blackboard and took a trembling step back.

There, covering the blackboard, were hundreds of pictures: each one depicting a little girl, between twelve and five years old, with red hair. Written over and over again, sometimes covered by the pictures, sometimes written over the pictures, was a single phrase, in jagged, shaky text: Fallen now is Babylon the Great.

"This guy is insane..." There in the center of the photographs, was her own smiling face. It was her class photo from last year. A few months before...before Aku came into her life. Back when she was so naive and so closed-minded. Blossom swallowed and turned, spotting the last Bible. This one was surrounded by seven candles, all burning at the end of their wicks. She nervously wondered if they were going to burn until they set the table on fire.

"Did he do this all tonight?" How could anyone have missed this? How did they miss this? Blossom licked her lips and looked over the Bible, reading the final verse:

_Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. _

"The Whore of Babylon..." Blossom muttered, looking over her shoulder at the blackboard again. Surely that man didn't mean...one of these little girls? Blossom shook her head. It couldn't be.

'That...that stupid, self-righteous, ignorant...ignorant man!' She thought, seething as she clenched her fist. He knew, he knew exactly who he was targeting, then why kidnap those girls? Why kill them? What was he planning! Blossom clenched her eyes shut and struggled to remain calm. More than anything, she struggled to figure out something, anything. And that's when it hit her. Like the fainted squeak of a tiny field mouse in the middle of the desert, Blossom heard something in the church give a near silent click.

In a heartbeat, she was back in the chapel. Her eyes dropped to the floor. Peering through wood and concrete she saw it, the boiler room. It was faint, practically impossible to hear. But, maybe it was the adrenaline, maybe it was the fury, she could hear it. And as soon as she heard it, that's when she saw it. There was a door. They must have overlooked it before, but there was a door in the boiler room, one that blended into the wall. A door with no lock and no handle, but a door nonetheless. Blossom hurried to the basement door, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of Townsville's latest psychopath. She pulled the door open and took a deep breath.

The stairs were poorly made, even a little girl with no carpentry expertise could tell that simple fact. Blossom started to step forward, then calmly shook her head. These stairs would make some kind of noise. No doubt about it...it was better to fly. Blossom hovered into the dark stairwell, pulling the door shut against her better judgment. With only slight hesitation, her eyes lit up and suddenly the penetrating darkness was bright as day. Blossom swallowed and hovered deeper into the basement.

She wasn't sure how much time passed. Every second felt like an eternity, so for all she knew the sun was up. She could only pray it wasn't getting too late. The second Dexter figured out she wasn't at home—if he didn't already know, that is—she was as good as dead. Blossom could see the ember-orange glow of the boiler room just around the corner. She took one final breath and stepped into the boiler room.

Immediately, she noticed a doll lying on the floor. A little Raggedy Anne doll...nailed to a tiny wooden cross with 666 written in red marker on her forehead. Blossom shook her head and gently set the doll down. There it was...the hidden door. She had to wonder if anyone else, other than herself and her target, knew it existed.

'Too late to wonder now...just have to bite the bullet,' Blossom slid the door open. There were more stairs, but these didn't seem to go too far. Licking her lips, she hovered down the stairs and exited into a pitch black room, filled with crates and littered with the concrete support column to the church. There in the middle were three little girls, each tied to a different column.

The girls looked horrible...Blossom couldn't believe her eyes. Amanda looked the worst of the three, but that wasn't saying a lot. She was, thankfully, unconscious. She'd been stripped naked—they all had—and her body was covered in bloodied, purple lashes. Her fingers were purple, probably from the rope being tied too tightly, and every time she took a breath, her entire body trembled. Her once cute, freckly face was now barely recognizable, with a fist-sized black and yellow bruise covering her left cheek.

Renee was to Amanda's right, and had it been any other circumstance, Blossom would have imagined her to be one of the prettiest girls she'd ever seen before. Now, though, she was just as slashed and bloodied as Amanda. One difference between them was what he'd done to her...Blossom couldn't bring herself to look at it any longer. When Renee made it out of this...Blossom could only pray she didn't dream of having a family some day.

Last...there was Julie. Like the other two, she was naked, beaten beyond recognition and slashed by what looked like a whip of some kind. Julie had never had the prettiest face, but what he'd done to her was just...cruel. Her nose was completely collapsed, and from this distance, Blossom was pretty sure her jaw was dislocated.

'How did he hide this...why couldn't we see this room?' Blossom wondered, floating around the room's perimeter. Now that she was here...she didn't dare stay put for long. The door suddenly closed, dunking the room into darkness so fast, Blossom was startled. Her vision returned to normal, but she thankfully managed to slip behind one of the columns. Footsteps rang out in the barren room; a man's ragged, heavy breathing filled the air. He paused, much, much too close for Blossom's comfort. He had to be no more than a few steps from the column she was hidden behind. Time seemed to stand still...no one, not even the unconscious girls seemed to be breathing. And then,

"I know you're here...you finally came," he finally said. Blossom swallowed, hovering just a little closer to the ceiling. She heard the legs of a chair grinding against the floor, and the tell-tale sound of the man sitting down.

"I figured you'd come...just had to give you enough time," He was old, probably older than the Professor. His voice was rough and scratchy, the voice of a man who had smoked for a long time. Judging by the scent in the air, though, Blossom figured he must have quit.

"I can see in the dark...just in case you're planning on ambushing me," Blossom froze, now too terrified to risk peering from her hiding spot. He could...was he a meta-human? Or was he bluffing? Maybe he had some night vision goggles? Blossom took a slow, forcefully quiet breath to calm her nerves, and find her voice.

"Why?" It wasn't all she wanted to say but...she couldn't say anything else. Maybe it was all the religious material she'd just read. Maybe it was the sight of those girls. Maybe it was...because this was a man she'd never met in her entire life. But at that moment, Blossom was paralyzed with fear.

"These are the end of days...the whore will lead the world astray, but I..." he paused and took a breath, "I was given the task to stop her...to stop you, Blossom Utonium, Babylon the Great," Blossom swallowed and carefully peered through the pillar. He was old, but he was built well. He hadn't shaved in days, and his face was covered in uneven stubble. His hair was silvery white, and his skin was tanned. This man worked for a living, his fingernails were grimy, his clothes were stained. He...Blossom swallowed. It was the janitor? The church's janitor...it had to be.

"You're just a janitor," She muttered, stupidly. The man chuckled, unmoved by her insult.

"I was...now I'm a prophet...I suppose I have you to thank for that," Blossom moved, and the man's head snapped in her direction. She gasped, clamping her working hand over her mouth. She heard the man get to his feet, his footsteps slowly, methodically coming her way. Blossom floated all the way to the ceiling and carefully moved away, diving behind a different column. He casually peered behind her previous hiding place and shrugged.

"How...how did...I've never met you..." She called, already trying to find a new cover. The footsteps started toward her again.

"You're right...we've never met. But that didn't stop you from killing me," The tone of his voice...it was horrifying. What did he mean? She killed him? When? She only killed that stupid dog. His fingers wrapped around the edge of the column, but Blossom was gone by the time he looked behind it. She could make out his eyes now. They were giving off a silvery-green glow. He had night vision...just like her. But...that meant...

"When you attacked...the people of Townsville were herded to the bunkers beneath the city," He was returning to the middle of the room...the chair slid against the concrete again as he sat down. He sighed and cleared his throat, "My daughter and I...we weren't so lucky. They came into our house, I tried to fight them, and then...there was this light. A horrible, red light, more painful than anything...well, almost anything," The man paused, wiping his eyes. He looked up, staring at the three beaten little girls in front of him.

"Your heat rays, I was told, collided with my home. My daughter, she was never found. I was pronounced dead at midnight. So you see...you killed me, but that wasn't the end of my story, no," Blossom sank to the floor, trying to keep her eyes on him, while also trying to find some way to get to another hiding place.

"He came to me, and gave me life once more," Blossom looked up, shaken from her deliberation.

"Who?" The man chuckled and kissed the crucifix around his neck. She hadn't noticed it before.

"The Lord...he told me what had become of you. I couldn't believe they'd just...let you go. He gave me the task of killing you. Of saving the world from your reign, of tearing down Babylon the Great," There was no doubt about it now, the slight glow to his skin was a dead give-away. Some how, this man had been exposed to Chemical X, just like...

'Sedusa...' Someone had managed to get a hold of the real stuff and was handing it out wherever he could! Creating some...some kind of army of super assassins! Blossom narrowed her eyes and slid to her feet. She kept her back against the pillar, but kept the man fixed with her deadliest glare.

"Why the girls? What did they do?" The man climbed to his feet slowly. He lashed out faster than Blossom expected, grabbing Amanda by her throat. The little girl moaned and shuddered. Faintly, Blossom thought she could her hear begging him to let her go. The psycho let go of Amanda, giving her another fierce backhand, leaving behind a bruise on her right cheek to match the one on her left. Blossom bristled; it took all of her willpower to not rush out and face him. If he was powered up by Chemical X...she wasn't so sure she could keep up with him.

"They were a message to this damned city! Repent and cast out the whore, or-" Blossom sneered and cut him off.

"You'll come in the night like a thief?" The man put his hands in his pockets and nodded, turning away from the girls.

"That's right...now, I think I've humored you long enough. Face me, Blossom," his voice took a sudden sharp turn, becoming stern, like an angry grandpa. Blossom swallowed and quit breathing. As silently as she could, she slipped to the ceiling and began to make her way around him, trying to find an opening to attack. That's when she heard it: the sound of a gun cocking.

Without a warning, the man held out the gun and fired, a clean shot straight through Amanda's forehead. The sound was enough to wake up the other two, who began screaming instantly.

"No! No! Don't kill me! Please, let me go!" Renee's voice was shaking, and she tripped over her words, but Julie could only scream. Blossom ground her teeth, slipping behind another column. Just like that, he killed her. No warning, no demands. He just shot her between the eyes. He watched her die like it was nothing.

"That was your warning, Blossom. Come out, or I'll kill the other two," That got the girls screaming and crying even more. Suddenly, Blossom, who was a social pariah, became their only hope for survival.

"Blossom! Blossom! Help me! Save me! I don't want to die!" Renee cried, going limp in her restraints, dissolving to pathetic whimpering. Julie tried to say her name, but it only came out as a garbled yelp. Blossom grit her teeth and slipped behind another column. She jumped when another shot rang out, and Renee's crying went silent. Julie's screams, however, became even more panicked, even more desperate.

"That's two...this one is your friend, isn't she? If there is any part of you left untainted, won't you do the right thing and throw down your life to save hers?" Blossom grit her teeth. Two innocent girls were dead...she had to do something! She had to confront him! She had to risk losing everything to save Julie. If she died, her sisters would never forgive her. There had to be some way. But...she'd never been so terrified. He had Chemical X, and he had a gun. In the past, a gun was more of a running gag against the Powerpuff Girls than a real threat. But, in her weakened state...

"Alright, fine! I'm here! Over here!" As quick as she shouted, Blossom zipped to cover, barely dodging a shot that would have taken her head off.

"That's not very heroic..." The man muttered. Blossom heard Julie's cries reach a new height, except, now muffled somehow. She peered out and gasped. He had the gun jammed in Julie's mouth. His eyes were locked with hers. He could see her, just as well as she could see him. Blossom shook her head slowly.

"I gave you a chance," The gun fired, blood splattered the sides of the column, "You have only yourself to blame," Blossom clenched her fists, trembling with rage. Her left arm was still useless, but her bracelet was sparkling, throwing electricity around like party favors. He pulled the gun from Julie's mouth and paced toward Blossom. She took a step back. No matter how angry she was, how much she hated him...she was too afraid to act. Her fear kept her backing away with each step. Blossom dodged just as the gun went off. Her assailant made no attempt to hurry after her, he just kept taking step, after step, after step.

"There's nowhere to run, Blossom. I hold the keys to death..." He held up an old-fashioned, silver key, "and Hell," Blossom gasped and hit the floor, the bullet whizzing over her head. She tried to climb to her feet but...there he was, staring down at her with those eerie, glowing eyes. She tumbled backward, scooting until her back hit the wall. He casually reloaded his pistol, eyes never leaving hers. Very slowly, with an almost reverent glimmer in his eyes, he pointed it at her.

Blossom looked around desperately. There was nowhere to run.

"Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire," The gun went off with a deafening bang, and time seemed to slow down around her. Blossom watched in high definition as the bullet exited the barrel and came screaming toward her.

_And every night...I lay awake..._

Her eyes got wider with every inch it crossed. She took a deep breath and watched, as the bullet collided square with her left arm, piercing the skin.

_And I find...no conclusion..._

Blood shot from the wound and pain she'd never felt before shot through her body. Blossom fell forward, screaming and holding her arm. The janitor stopped just in front of her, leveling the gun with the back of her head.

_And every night...it just stays the same..._

"For strong is the Lord God who judgeth her," Blossom could barely hear him through her own screams. She was barely aware of his presence through her own pain. Even when the gun went off, there was only one thought screaming in her mind...only one voice she could hear...

_I dream...of absolution_

The still night air was broken by a deafening scream. A vicious sound that went on again and again, growing louder and more feral with every passing second. The earth shook, the entire infrastructure began to come undone.

_**Black, nightmare, smoldering ruins, a pained scream rings out, shattering the engulfing silence. High above, thunder crashes.**_

"What? What in the name of Heaven? G-Get, Get away from me!"

A blistering crack rang out again and again, echoing like thunder and striking like lightning. Bones snapped and sinew tore with every lash. Blood splattered across its face and painted the floors. The scream echoed a second time, this time, free of pain and suffocating with unbridled fury.

_**Skin tears and blood splatters the concrete. Tears mingle with sweat on purple bruises, a sickening thud hits the ground. The sky trembles in silent despair; the Earth holds its breath.**_

"NO! GOD HELP ME! GET AWAY! WHAT ARE YOU! W-"

An explosion rocked the neighborhood, startling those who were supposed to be sleeping peacefully. Another scream rang out, this one older, deeper...and dying. A disgusting _schlock_ shot through the air. Blood trickled to the floor, followed by a lifeless thud. The air fell completely silent...

_**A lone figure stands; the world finally succumbs to its scars. Eyes ablaze, encased in a sheathe of fire. A shrill laugh splits the dead air. Darkness devours the dying light.**_

**"YOU KNOW WHO I AM!"**


	56. Two Weeks

"_**Lately, I've been**_

_**Living in my head**_

_**The rest of me is dead**_

_**I'm dying for truth"**_

**No Way Back (Foo Fighters "In Your Honor")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 23**

"...healing factor is still working..."

"...lucky you arrived..."

"...she'll be fine, girls,"

The Utonium family heaved a collective sigh of relief as the doctor left the room. Professor Utonium turned to smile at his daughter, sitting upright, staring at her lap in the shock white hospital bed. She narrowed her eyes, staring down at her hands. She blinked when a gentle hand touched her lightly bandaged shoulder.

"I'm so glad you're alright, you had us worried to death, Blossom," Blossom nodded, tracing the palm of her left mitt.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Keane. I won't run off by myself again," she assured the elder woman. Ms. Keane beamed, while Buttercup flew up to Blossom's side, suddenly snatching her hand. Blossom blinked and looked up, cocking her head in confusion.

"What's wrong, Buttercup?" she asked. Buttercup bit her lip and stared at her, just as confused. She seemed torn, Blossom thought. Probably mad that Blossom had gone out on her own, but also relieved that she was alright. "I'm fine, I promise, okay?" Buttercup looked up. Blossom smiled and patted her sister's hand.

"Yeah...yeah you're fine. Just, uh, don't do it again...okay?" Blossom smiled and nodded. Buttercup smiled and moved aside so the Professor and Bubbles could talk to her. The Professor chuckled and sat down next to Blossom on the bed.

"Glad to hear it," He sighed and shook his head. Bubbles hung back, not daring to get too near to her sister. Blossom's gaze returned to her mitts. She was alright, but the same couldn't be said for the three girls she'd tried to save.

"The good news is that horrible man won't hurt anyone else..." the Professor pointed out, breaking the awkward silence. The tension only seemed to grow thicker. Buttercup and Bubbles both lowered their heads in shame. Their thirty-seven hour search hadn't turned up a thing. Maybe if they'd been quicker, Julie, Amanda, and Renee would still be alive.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save them," Blossom said suddenly, piercing the room like a siren. The Professor shook his head, stroking her hair lovingly.

"It's alright, Honey...you did your best," Blossom rubbed her hand and closed her eyes. That was the oddest thing. Her best: just what had she done to win that fight?

_ Suddenly, I feel a sharp pain in the back of my head, dulling the pain in my arm. I instinctively jerk forward, banging my head against the floor. Everything goes black for a second. I can't die here, I won't die here! I won't let him get away with this! With a desperate growl, I curl up and clutch my arm as he loads another bullet in the chamber. I grind my teeth. My growl is getting louder...my arm is gushing blood like a fountain._

Blossom groaned and rubbed her head. 'What happened after that?' she thought. Everything was a blur. Something must have happened to save her life. But...try as she might, Blossom couldn't remember anything before the doctor shining a light in her eyes.

"You look tired, Sweetie, maybe you should get some rest? You were up all night..." Ms. Keane offered. Blossom nodded. That sounded wonderful; maybe in her dreams she could find the answer.

"I could stay-" Buttercup started to say. The Professor cut her off, shaking his head. Blossom looked up in confusion. She honed in with her super hearing, catching their hushed exchange.

"You know you have a meeting with Dexter and General Adkinson, Buttercup. Let's just let Blossom take a nap, and she'll be home in time for dinner," He whispered. Buttercup looked like she wanted to protest, but one look was all it took to silence her. She nodded and the four started to make their way for the door. With a sigh, Blossom fell back on the flat hospital pillow and stared up at the blank white ceiling.

"We'll be back later, Honey," the Professor called. Blossom just waved her hand dismissively. She froze, staring at her left hand yet again. Something had happened down there; somehow, the pain in her left arm was completely gone. Blossom sighed and let her hand fall back into the sheets.

'Why is my head so foggy? It was only a few hours ago, right?' she pondered. Blossom yawned heavily and closed her eyes. Maybe a nap really was what she needed? She felt drained, but in a way she wasn't familiar with. She cracked one eye open, staring at her right wrist, at the cursed bracelet holding back her power. She hadn't felt this way since the Professor put this on her back in April.

Her attempts to nap were short lived. Just as she was starting to drift off, the door suddenly opened and the room filled with the annoying sound of short, quick steps. Blossom groaned and sat up, surprised to see Dexter of all people. He cleared his throat and pulled the chair next to her bed away. When the door slid shut, Dexter sat down and sighed, pushing his glasses up.

"Good afternoon, Blossom," he started.

"Good afternoon, Dexter...is it afternoon already?" Blossom glanced around. She hadn't noticed the clock on the wall earlier. Sure enough, it was nearing four P.M. Saturday afternoon. Dexter nodded, tightening the purple rubber gloves he always wore.

"Indeed, now, enough small talk. I am happy to see you in good health. Especially considering how you looked when we found you," Blossom blinked and looked down in deep thought. Had Dexter found her? That would make sense, right? Her bracelet did have a homing signal in it...but what did he mean?

_I scream, again and again, swinging my arms with all my fury. I can't see anything, I can only feel my fists hitting someone over and over again. Something hot splatters my face. I can hear someone else screaming, I can feel the basement tremble. A hand hits the side of my face, knocking me onto my back. I snarl, trying my best to sit up. There it is again, a gun cocking. I open my eyes and find myself staring down the barrel. There is a bright flash that lights up the chamber._

"Is something wrong?" Blossom shook her head, though she was shocked. Was Dexter honestly worried about her? She looked up, blinking in surprise when she saw that he was now leaning against her bed, looking at her closely. Dexter turned bright red and stood up straight, coughing and straightening his lab coat, "My apologies, you seemed...nevermind," Blossom rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine, Dexter," He nodded.

"That is good to hear, now about what took place last night," Blossom perked up. If Dexter was one of the people who found her, just maybe.

"What happened anyway?" Dexter was caught off guard. He cleared his throat and looked away, scratching his chin.

"You mean...you don't remember? How peculiar...um...well, you see, we are not entirely sure what transpired. By the time we arrived, he was already dead," Dexter explained. Blossom fell back into her bed, glaring at the ceiling. If no one knew what happened...maybe, just maybe. She smiled and closed her eyes—just maybe her prayer had been answered.

'He was right then, there was a god watching the fight,' She giggled. Dexter cleared his throat, watching her carefully with a raised eyebrow.

"Um...so about what transpired. You see, unfortunately, you committed several crimes in pursuit of that criminal," Blossom sat upright, fire in her eyes. Dexter took a step back, swallowing hard.

"What? You can't be serious! He killed three innocent little girls! And he wasn't going to stop with just those three!" Dexter held up his hands defensively, his eyes locked on the sparking bracelet on Blossom's wrist. Blossom growled silently and held her wrist. Dexter took a deep breath and began pacing around her bed.

"Yes, yes, yes, we are aware. I am aware. Now, if you would let me finish," He glared at her, a glare that Blossom returned in spades, "You broke your probation, going out without permission. You broke into that church without a warrant. You hid your tracking beacon from the radar for about two hours. To top it all off, you killed a man," Blossom began to heat up, an argument formulating on the tip of her tongue. Dexter held up his hands again, smiling disarmingly. It was smug as any other smile he wore but...somehow kinder.

"However...in lieu of the lives at stake, I have convinced General Adkinson to pardon you off all offenses, on the condition that you refrain from superhero activity for two weeks with no exception," Blossom stared at Dexter incredulously. He smirked, hands folded behind his back.

"You mean..."

"That is correct," he interrupted, "You are suspended for two weeks. You are banned from training and you are banned from participating in superhero activities," He only smirked as he headed for the door. Blossom watched him go, still finding it hard to believe. He paused and glanced over his shoulder.

"Enjoy your two week vacation, Miss Utonium," The door slid shut. Blossom couldn't believe it. She was suspended? He...he'd done that for her? Two weeks to sleep in? Two weeks to focus on school work? Two weeks to tutor Boomer? Two weeks to...to...be with him? Blossom suddenly couldn't stop smiling, that is, until she started giggling wildly. The mystery of the night before faded as she fell back in bed, giggling uncontrollably.

"Well, well, well! Someone is in an awfully good mood!" Blossom gasped and sat up, wiping her eyes. There stood Mr. Green and...

"Uka-sensei!" Blossom shrieked, flying out of bed and throwing herself into his arms. Mr. Green laughed, while Uka-sensei struggled to pull her away. Even with her power restrained, her grip was so intense, he couldn't pry her from his neck.

"Contain yourself child! Do you wish to see Uka suffocate?" He gasped out. Blossom squealed again, burying her face in his neck, but begrudgingly loosening her hold on his neck. Uka-sensei glared at Mr. Green as the two took a seat, Uka on Blossom's bed, and Mr. Green in the guest chair.

"You're here! That...that means..." Blossom looked up, noticing that Uka-sensei was wearing the same fake necklace that he'd worn as Ikra. Mr. Green laughed out loud when Blossom screamed and began to strangle Uka with hugs again.

"That's right! In fact, Principal Durry was so anxious to invite Mr. Uka back, she got the paperwork faxed in record time," Blossom smiled up at Uka, eyes glistening with unshed tears of joy. Uka-sensei smiled softly and gave her the softest kiss on her forehead.

"I will be resuming my post on Monday, thanks to you, child," Blossom giggled and kissed his cheek shamelessly. Mr. Green glanced at the door. Uka-sensei gave Blossom one last, tight hug and set her down on the bed. Blossom wiped her eyes and sighed happily. She perked up and flew up to Uka-sensei's eye level, frustrating the demon.

"Why must you refuse to stay put, child? Settle your soul!" Blossom was somehow even more excited.

"I've been suspended from work! I'll have two full weeks off!" She exclaimed.

"We heard...you must be so disappointed," Mr. Green said with a wry smile. Blossom beamed, at last staying put, lying back in her bed. Uka-sensei tucked the sheets around her and climbed to his feet.

"We cannot stay long, unfortunately. The visiting rules are much stricter for our kind," As he started to go, Blossom grabbed his hand. He turned back, staring into her big rosy eyes.

"Thank you," Uka-sensei blinked, trading a glance with Mr. Green.

"For what, Blossom?" Blossom beamed.

"For saving my life last night," Uka-sensei chuckled and shook his head. Blossom stared at him in shock, not even blushing when he kissed her forehead again.

**"That was not Aku's doing, child," **Blossom watched the two monsters leave. She slowly looked down at her left hand. There it was...so vague and foggy...somewhere in the back of her mind. What had happened last night? Who killed that man?

* * *

_I drop to my knees, holding my arm; it doesn't hurt anymore. My vision is blurry, obscured by the hot, sticky blood streaming down my face. I lick my lips, flinching at their metallic taste. I blink my eyes and it seems to be an eternity before I open them again. I can't take my eyes away from him, he looks so pathetic now. His body is in shreds and his face is battered into a purple mass. Even in the dark, even as weak as I feel, I can see every drip of blood slowly spilling out onto the floor. That stupid, miserable man is dead: I killed him. _

_ I slowly look down at my bloody left hand, then slowly left my gaze drift back to the gaping hole in his chest. Light floods the basement chamber. I can hear voices, familiar voices. Then I hear it, a scream I know all too well. I can feel her hands on me; I can hear her voice. But...I can't take my eyes away from his body. He's dead, and I killed him. _

_ 'No...' I think with a smile saved only for myself, 'I slaughtered him,'_


	57. Shintai

"_**I used to wonder what friendship could be**_

_**Until you all shared its magic with me**_

_**Big adventure, tons of fun**_

_**A beautiful heart, faithful and strong**_

_**Sharing kindness, it's an easy feat,**_

_**and magic makes it all complete,"**_

**My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 24**

"I understand there were rumors floating about regarding his absence, but I can assure you,"

The students of class A11-21 sat and stared at their principal in wide-eyed disbelief. The man behind her stood with his hands folded behind his back. Every so often, he would open one of his eyes and give the room a quick glance over. Those moments were the only times they dared to look away. Not one of them could meet the monster's fiery stare... that is, not one of the human students could meet his stare. There were three pairs of eyes that never wavered whenever he scanned the room.

The first, a pair of angry green eyes, hardened, as if challenging the monster to try anything.

The second, a pair of trembling blue eyes, flinched only in the slightest when his gaze met hers.

The last, a pair of bright, rosy pink eyes, lit up. Whenever their eyes met, a smile found its way to her lips. She alone could see the subtle twitch at the corner of his lips, hiding his own pleased smirk.

"None of them are true. Mr. Uka has complied with the Department of Meta-Human Regulation. He will be returning as your instructor effective immediately." Principal Durry finished, looking around at the students. There were several who looked ready to protest. There were more who looked ready to wet themselves. Then, there were the Powerpuff Girls, torn between fight, flight, and fancy. She smiled at Mr. Uka, a smile that only she, Uka, and Blossom realized was more than just professional.

"Well then, Uka-san, I'll leave you to your class," and just like that, with a click of the door, Uka-sensei, the monstrous first grade teacher, was returned to his seat of power. Uka-sensei paced in front of the class, momentarily stopping to pick up the syllabus from the desk.

"Barthandelus has told me much of your progress...and though it pains me to say so," the air grew tense. Uka-sensei turned his gaze on them with a dangerous glint in his eye, "You've fallen even further behind than I anticipated." There was no charade, half the class groaned, cried, or otherwise voiced their complaints. Uka-sensei's eyes twitched, but the smirk on his lips belied his irritation.

"I have the utmost respect for Barthandelus Green...however, he was far too lenient with you. We will pick up your lessons where I expected you to be. Turn to chapter twenty-eight in your math books," Someone slammed their hands on their desk in a fury. Her classmates turned to see who was about to be struck down by the monster. Thankfully, it was Buttercup.

"That's stupid! We're only on chapter twenty!" Uka-sensei continued to wear that same irritating smirk. Blossom had to admit, it was quickly winning the contest for her favorite expression of his. She could only imagine the rest of the class was learning to fear it more than his deadliest leer.

"Well then, child, it would seem you have extra studying to do on the side." There was another explosion of protest from the students. Unaffected, Uka-sensei began writing on the board. Completing his notes, he glanced at his book then nodded.

"**SILENCE!**" The resulting quiet was deafening. To be sure, Blossom rubbed her ears. Sure enough, she could still hear several rapid-fire heartbeats pounding in the room. She could hear the frantic, almost silent breathing of her terrified peers. Most importantly, she could hear Buttercup's teeth grinding. Uka-sensei had quite an effect on people, even those who believed him...restricted.

"Now...you, Beware, begin reading," Molly swallowed and looked down at her book. Her cheeks got red and, with a sudden surge of courage, she stood up, glaring at Uka-sensei.

"Why do I always have to read? You only ever pick me!" Without missing a beat, Uka-sensei waved his hand dismissively.

"Your peers names have failed to make an impression on Uka, he simply does not remember them," he paused and gave Molly a glare, "it is easy enough to recall the name of a student whose mother has made a fool of herself," Molly's face turned even redder. There were a few snickers, but they were cut off by Uka-sensei's claws hitting his desk.

"That is enough, now read." Trembling with fury, Molly read through clenched teeth for the rest of the lesson. Uka-sensei followed along, paying more attention than Blossom could ever recall before. He even stopped Molly to clarify points in the text—Blossom was impressed.

Molly had finished reading, and the room was filled with the sound of pencils flying across paper, doing their best to keep up with the monster's impossibly quick writing. He stopped just long enough to spin around, pointing randomly.

"You, answer question six. Quickly now, there will be unpleasant repercussions should I be required to ask Blossom to assist you," The pink-eyed Powerpuff girl only giggled. Burning glares drilled into her back, while insulting names flew around the room on whispered breaths. It was nice to have things back to the way they used to be.

"Uh...maybe it's five?" Uka-sensei pinched the bridge of his nose. Slowly, he opened his eyes and glared torrents of flame at the student. He swallowed and tried to redo the math, "Um...seven?" Uka dropped his fist to his desk, cracking the wood. As he slowly, methodically pulled each of his fingers from the holes left behind in the surface, he explained each step to solving the equation. He lifted his now freed hand and flexed his fingers. He hadn't blinked through the entire explanation.

"Now then...give Uka an intelligent answer," Gary Stephens swallowed and ran his hands through his coal black hair. He ran through the equation again, trying his hardest to see where he'd gone wrong. Swallowing, he wrote a new answer down and looked up. Gary gasped: Uka-sensei was now right in front of him, blocking out the fluorescent lights with his tall frame. He looked like a shadow with blazing red eyes.

"F...four?" Uka slowly snatched Gary's notebook and lifted it. Without warning, he dropped it back on Gary's desk and sulked back to the board. Uka suddenly snatched a marker, his strokes flying across the board in broad, dramatic thrusts of his arm. Wearing the same glare, he turned to the students, who stared in shock and awe. Uka set down the marker, and slowly smirked. There was a large, red four written on the board.

"That is correct...next question,"

Blossom was so overjoyed to have Uka-sensei back, she couldn't even feign taking notes. She leaned on her desk, watching him with a warm blush on her cheeks. Every sharp comment, every subtle insult, every outburst...things were how they should be.

* * *

"So...it was the best day ever?" Boomer asked again, biting the end of his pencil. Blossom giggled and nodded, grabbing his hand in both of hers. Boomer laughed sheepishly as the older man sitting next to Blossom suddenly became darker, and his eyebrows burst into flames.

"Definitely! The only way it would have been better is if you were there to see it! Uka-sensei was amazing!" She turned to Uka-sensei, his flames flickering out the moment he saw her cheerful smile. He returned it with a toothy grin of his own.

"Well, child, after what we discussed, I felt it only necessary that I...erm...lighten up, as you put it. That is the phrase, is it not?" Blossom nodded, returning to the notes she and Boomer were comparing.

"That's right," Boomer scratched his head. His pencil flicked up and down in his mouth as he spoke.

"But...isn't that more weirder? If he's nice now," Blossom and Uka-sensei both laughed. Boomer blinked, though couldn't help laughing too.

"Uka is no nicer than he ever was. He simply uses...humor to diffuse his previously biting remarks," Boomer stared at Uka-sensei. Uka-sensei narrowed his eyes, "You haven't a clue what Uka means, have you?" Boomer chuckled and shook his head.

"Nope, sorry!" he admitted. Blossom grabbed their arms, so happy she could ignore Uka-sensei picking on her best friend.

"He means, he is funnier about it," Boomer gave a loud "Oh!" and laughed out loud, as if he had been there. Blossom laughed too, suddenly remembering their English lesson. Uka-sensei crossed his arms and shook his head.

"You children, I will never understand you," The trio tapered off into silence, while the kids worked on their homework. Blossom couldn't help dwelling on that last statement. Did that mean Aku would never understand her? Maybe there was a way she could fix that. Some way to help them understand each other better.

"Uka-sensei...you're right, you don't understand us, do you?" Uka-sensei blinked and stared incredulously at Blossom. He chuckled and scratched his head.

"Well, child, I am an immortal deity, it can't be helped that I am unfamiliar with childhood, as I never had one," Blossom nodded. An idea was forming. A way that they could spend more time together, without dragging Boomer around with them. Much as she liked Boomer, she felt guilty about using him as cover. And...to be honest, there were times she wanted to be alone with Aku.

"Maybe we can fix that..." Uka-sensei and Boomer both looked up in confusion. Blossom laughed, "I'll explain later," she happened to glance at Boomer's tablet. It wasn't the first time, but something about it seemed to strike her as more...strange? No, not strange, just curiosity getting the best of her.

"Why do all of your school supplies have bananas on them?" Boomer chuckled and wrote down the answer to the next problem. Blossom was proud to see it was correct without her help.

"Oh, Dad bought me these," Blossom cocked her head.

"Your...Dad?" Boomer grinned and nodded.

"Yeah! He got these for me and didn't buy Butch or Brick nothing!" His dad...did he mean Mojo Jojo? Blossom had wondered what had happened to Mojo. Apparently, he'd fought her sisters just before their day of judgment. He'd somehow lost, and hadn't even tried to escape from prison since that day.

"Do you talk to him often? You're living with your Coordinating Officer, aren't you?" she asked. Boomer nodded.

"Yeah, Ms. Honeydew is cool, but someone has to visit Dad. Besides, he always wants to know how you're doing, so it has to be me to talk to him, right?" Blossom was shocked. Mojo asked about her? What did he want to know? What did Boomer tell him? Just...what happened to him? Her thoughts were interrupted when Uka-sensei joined Boomer, trying to get her attention.

"Hey, did you hear me?"

"Child, answer him so he'll finally shut up," Blossom gave Uka-sensei a playful glare, then turned to Boomer again.

"I'm sorry, Boomer, what did you need? Which problem?" Boomer blinked, then shook his head.

"Oh, it's not that. I just wanted to know what happened to you. You know, so I can tell Dad." There it was, Blossom thought. She sighed and rubbed her left arm. It hadn't hurt at all since last Friday. It was amazing to think it had ever hurt to begin with.

"That again..." Uka-sensei sat upright, catching Blossom's attention. She blinked and giggled, grinning at the two, "Alright...I guess I can tell you. You're my boyfriend and you're my best friend, right?" Uka-sensei and Boomer both nodded. Tapping her lips, Blossom gathered up her books. The other two followed suit and followed her to the back of the library.

Once there, Blossom took a deep breath and cleared her thoughts. She held out her left arm and stared at it. Uka-sensei and Boomer watched carefully. Blossom narrowed her eyes. She couldn't do it, she realized. It must have been the stress, but here, her life in no immediate danger, she couldn't find it again.

"I can't show you, I thought I could," She dropped her arm and sighed, "He shot me," Uka-sensei and Boomer both nodded. That much they'd been told by various sources—Boomer's brothers and Uka-sensei's co-workers. Blossom didn't stop with that, though, "He shot me and...I blacked out. I didn't lose consciousness, everything just became...blacker." Realizing that her knees were shaking, Blossom lowered herself into the nearest chair. In a flash, Boomer was sitting by her feet and Uka-sensei was leaning on the back of the chair.

"I suddenly felt...my power rising. My arm couldn't stop bleeding, I should have blacked out or died. But, instead...I became even more powerful. Before I knew what was happening, I was beating him. It felt incredible, I haven't felt so strong since...that day!" Boomer and Uka-sensei nodded, "Then...he shot again. I was so mad. He kept trying to kill me! He killed those girls, he blamed me for it! He tried to say he was sent by God! He. Made. Me. FURIOUS!"

There was a chorus of shushing from around the library. The three were so far in the back, though, that none of the others could see her. Uka-sensei and Boomer stared in shock. Blossom clenched her fists tighter, clenched her eyes harder. She could feel it deep inside her. Her true power.

"My arms changed...I cut him to pieces. I tore him apart..." Blossom was only faintly aware of the grin spreading across her face, of the burning in her belly remembering the scene. She shifted in her seat, shuddering when she felt Uka-sensei's fingers on her shoulder. Blossom opened her eyes, her grin now spread clear across her face.

"It's inside me, Boomer...Aku...the power to become a goddess again, is here inside me!" She was breathing heavily. It was fading now, she was losing it. But just feeling it again, that was enough! Enough to erase her worries, enough to answer all the doubts she had before!

"You mean..." Boomer trailed off. He watched Uka-sensei touch Blossom's other shoulder. With a determined frown, he sat up, leaning forward on her lap.

"Did you help her?" Boomer asked Uka-sensei. He swallowed and shook his head, kneeling down beside the chair. Blossom looked up at him, her smile growing still.

"You really didn't? It was...all mine?" Uka-sensei nodded, wearing his own proud smile. Blossom fell back in the chair and covered her face. Boomer blinked and leaned closer. She was laughing, even though there were tears in her eyes.

Blossom was doing her best to keep it quiet, but she couldn't stop laughing. It felt better than a good joke! It was more exciting than any kind of tickle! It was...truth, at long last. After so many months of uncertainty, of self-doubt, of denial. She finally knew the truth! She could finally admit it to herself!

"I...**am**...a goddess!"


	58. November 3rd, 2001

**November 3rd, 2001**

**Patient Name: Blossom Utonium**

_It's been over two months since I last had direct contact with Blossom Utonium. Her status as a patient has since...been dropped entirely. Though I was required by the Meta-Human Regulation Act to hand over all documents I had in regards to our sessions, I won't lie...I did some purging of information. That little girl has suffered enough, I'm not about to make her life more miserable than they already have. Still, there is a part of me that wishes I could see her again. _

_Part of me that still wants to know the truth...to see what she could become._

"Coming! It's awfully late, how can-oh my god. Blossom? Is that really you?"

"I'm sorry to bother you so late, I'm supposed to be studying right now,"

"No! No...no, Dear, I was just thinking about you...do you want to come inside?"

"...I'd like that a lot, Doctor,"

"It's been so long, how are you doing? Is your arm still bothering you? Are you-"

"I remember when you used to calm me down when I was rambling...now I understand why you always smiled, it is cute,"

"Oh my, I'm so sorry. Alright, how about one question at a time? How are you, Blossom?"

"Good, actually, Doctor. In fact, I feel better than I have in months,"

"That's great news, Blossom! What changed? I can't imagine the Meta-"

"No, the Meta-Human Regulation Act has gone out of its way to try to make my life as horrible as possible. It's not enough to try to hold my power back, now they track my every move, and I have a government agent telling me where to be, what to do, and how to do it,"

"I'm so sorry...I wish I could have done more to help you,"

"You've tried to help me?"

"Well...you could...say that,"

"I'm not your patient anymore, am I?"

"Legally, no, you aren't,"

"What happened to my records?"

"...Major Dexter came to confiscate them,"

"...I see,"

"But, don't worry, Blossom. There was nothing incriminating, I made sure of that,"

"You...you edited my records?"

"After all the times you made me promise no one would hear the things you told me, I wasn't about to break that promise without a fight. I can promise you this, Blossom, nothing in those documents will ever hurt you,"

"I'm...touched, Doctor. I never thought you'd go so far to help me...you could have been fired,"

"I could have been more than fired. But, you trusted me, and I refuse to betray that trust,"

"Why? Why would you go so far for me?"

"Blossom...I guess, the truth is, I...I love you, Blossom. You are like a daughter to me. I want to help you, I want to be by your side. I want to see you grow. I want to help you realize your potential. I want...to see what you could become because I love you,"

"...I'm glad I came here. Aku was worried, but I know I made the right decision,"

"I...what did you say?"

"You heard about the serial killer, didn't you? Tyler Benson?"

"I did...I heard that you-"

"I killed him. I tore him apart with my bare hands. Underground, trapped with him, I was afraid I was going to die. Maybe some part of me did die when he shot me, but...he couldn't kill me. No, he struck me down and made me more powerful than ever before,"

"Blossom...you can...sit down...if you like..."

"I'd prefer to stand, if that's alright,"

"Of course..."

"Why are you afraid of me Doctor? I haven't even told you the best part,"

"Please...tell me..."

"I'll tell you my secret if you tell me yours,"

"O-Okay...I don't..."

"That was your first test, Irena...don't play games with gods,"

"Blossom..."

"That night, Irena, I discovered the truth. They told me that Aku had used me. They told me he had given me evil power, they told me I wasn't a goddess. They told me I was a confused little girl. They called me, no, they call me a meta-human. But that isn't the truth. That night, I saw the truth,"

"Oh my god,"

"That's right...I **am** a goddess,"

"Blossom, I always...they said, but...when you...back in April,"

"Sh...don't be afraid. I'm not here to hurt you. I knew I could trust you, I always knew I could trust you. We're not so different, are we? We were both outcasts, we were both special, we were both pit against our own sister, we were both used...weren't we..."

"How...how did you know? How did you know it was..."

"I've had my doubts at first...but since our last visit, I realized the truth. You slipped...out of character,"

"Blossom...please...don't..."

"I told you, Doctor, I'm not going to hurt you. I won't hurt you...because I trust you. I won't hurt you because I want you on my side. I want...your help,"

"My help...Blossom, you know I'm not really-"

"If you love me...do this for me. Let me visit you. It can be here, it can be at your office, it can be wherever you like. Just...let me visit you and talk to you. Keep notes, like you always did before. Help me to figure this out. I've already pieced so much together, but...there are blank spots. And, there's this feeling that something isn't right. I need your help, Irena Elise,"

"...If you come to my office, they'll be able to read your records,"

"You could purge them again, couldn't you?"

"I could, but it would be harder now. Why don't we meet here? Once a week, does that work?"

"That...that sounds perfect. But, you have to record everything. Understood?"

"Of course, I'm a professional,"

"I knew I could count on you...how long have I been here?"

"Almost an hour, do you need to leave?"

"Yeah, I shouldn't overstay my welcome,"

"Blossom..."

"It was nice talking to you again, Doctor...I missed you,"

"I..."

"Please don't cry,"

"I missed you too,"

"I'll see you next week then? Same time?"

"I'll be here,"

"I'm glad to hear it...oh, Dr. Elise?"

"Yes, Blossom?"

"...You've been like a mom to me the last six months. I know I ran away, but I hope you can forgive your prodigal daughter,"

"Of course I can forgive you!"

"...That's why I love you too...Mom,"


	59. Meet the Parents

"_**We do it in the dark with smiles on our faces.**_

**_We're dropped and well concealed in secret places_**

**_We don't fight fair"_**

**The Take Over, The Break's Over (Fall Out Boy "Infinity on High")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 25**

Later that week, the Utonium household was packed, as the two coordinating officers of Townsville met to discuss forming a more perfect union between their two groups. While Dexter and Agent Honeydew meshed out the details of the cooperation, the Rowdyruff Boys and Powerpuff Girls were snickering and talking amongst themselves, only giving an appropriate response when asked for one. Every now and then Professor Utonium would give his girls a stern look, or Ms. Keane would hush the kids when they started getting too noisy.

The Powerpuff leader kept one eye on the door, growing increasingly worried about her sister's absence. Blossom had been staying out late since returning from the hospital, the night before, she hadn't come home until well after ten. Just what was her sister getting herself into? Buttercup turned to try to pry more information out of Boomer, who was off sitting by himself near the hallway. He looked up, confused as ever, when Buttercup whispered his name.

"Boomer, where did you say Blossom was?" She mouthed, trying to avoid drawing Dexter's attention. Boomer shrugged, again. Before Buttercup could erupt into a fury, the front door opened and a cheerful voice called out.

"I'm home!" Everyone paused when Blossom giggled and hushed whispers were exchanged in the hallway. Boomer blinked and looked up in confusion, as Blossom peeked into the living room, "Hey! Sorry I'm home late! I was, um...studying!" She giggled and swatted at someone around the corner, who seemed to be laughing. Now the suspended Powerpuff girl had everyone's attention. Ms. Keane was the first person to find her voice.

"Blossom...is someone with you?" Blossom giggled and jumped away from the doorway, rubbing her side. She turned bright pink and brushed her hair out of her face.

"Um...well...yes. Um...I guess I wasn't really studying," She rubbed her head, turning redder with every second. She glanced at her companion then gestured for him to come out. There was a brief, whispered argument, but in the end, he relented. It was a monster boy...mostly human looking, with green skin, shaggy white hair, and two tiny black horns poking through his hair.

"Heeey...Utonium family...and friends?" Professor Utonium slowly narrowed his eyes. Bubbles' hands flew to her mouth. Brick's eye twitched. Butch stuck his tongue out. By the doorway, Boomer looked up and smiled, waving. The boy grinned and waved back. There was a sound like a gunshot, and suddenly Buttercup was in the monster's face, glaring daggers.

"Who are you?" she snarled. The boy laughed sheepishly and took a nervous step back, holding his hands up in defense. Blossom grabbed Buttercup's wrist and tugged her out of the air.

"Buttercup! Leave him alone! I knew this would happen!" She huffed. Ms. Keane's look of shock was slowly becoming a barely contained giddy grin.

"Blossom..." she called in a singing voice. Blossom, Buttercup, and the monster boy looked up. Blossom was turning bright red again, shuffling her feet nervously, "Who is this young man?" She finally asked, a knowing grin spread across her face. The Professor simply glared at the boy, having reached the same conclusion as Ms. Keane. The...correct conclusion.

"Um...well, you see...this is...Baku...he's um a sixth grader and...um..." she trailed off, mumbling the rest. Buttercup was almost as red as Blossom, it was a wonder why her glare hadn't set the boy, Baku, on fire yet. He scratched his hair, taking a moment to tap one of his horns. Ms. Keane suddenly began giggling uncontrollably. Professor Utonium's glare almost matched Buttercup's.

"He's...my...boyfriend," Blossom's hands flew to her mouth, a silly grin on her face, "I can't believe I finally said it! He's my boyfriend! My boyfriend!"

"Boyfriend?" Ms. Keane, Buttercup, and Professor Utonium shouted in unison. Brick snickered, elbowing Butch.

"What a loser," Blossom narrowed her eyes, her good mood going up in flames, "He must be a real loser if he's dating her!" She gasped and glowered at Brick, wishing with all her heart she could will his eyes to melt and his tongue to explode. Butch snickered, high-fiving his bother. Dexter cleared his throat, sizing up Baku.

"How exciting, Blossom has some stupid boyfriend. Can we please get back to the important matter at hand?" Under his breath, he muttered something about stupid girls. Unfortunately, he underestimated the cumulative outrage and joy filling the room.

"You can't have a boyfriend!" Buttercup and Professor Utonium said in unison. The two looked at each other, nodded, and returned their fury to the fiend.

"You're too young to be dating!"

"He's a monster!"

"And besides, he's too old for you!"

"He's a monster! Rawr! A monster!" Blossom took a deep breath, ready to defend her boyfriend's honor. To her surprise, Ms. Keane cut her off.

"Now you two, stop that! There is nothing wrong with Blossom having a boyfriend," She said, rising up to stand between the two groups, hands on her hips. Blossom blinked, glancing at Boomer. Her friend just shrugged, giving her a mitt's up—an awkward equivalent of a thumb's up without thumbs.

"Cassandra, this is outrageous, she is only seven years old," the Professor explained, climbing to his feet as well. Buttercup flew up to his side, waving her arms frantically.

"And he's a monster!" Ms. Keane sighed and turned to Buttercup.

"I understand, Dear...now please, sit," Buttercup swallowed nervously and returned to her spot on the couch. She turned to the Professor, wearing the same look. He swallowed nervously, "Sit." He, wisely, complied, a sheepish smile on his face. Ms. Keane spun around and dropped back on the couch, next to Professor Utonium. There was a gleam in her eye that Blossom found endearing...and a bit frightening.

"So, your name is Baku, is it? How did you two meet?" Dexter groaned and threw his papers into the air. Agent Honeydew sighed and patted his shoulder.

"It's a fight you can't win, Dexter," she mumbled. Everyone's attention was on Blossom and Baku now. She blushed and folded her hands behind her back, kicking her foot. Baku cleared his throat and stood beside her, his green cheeks tinted pink.

"Well, um...it was kind of an accident...we met when I was coming home from seeing Dr. Elise. Um, at the park," She looked up at Baku, who nodded and laughed.

"Yeah, uh, Blossom was taking a nap by a sprinkler, so I woke her up before it sprayed her," He snickered and Blossom giggled, blushing more.

"I was really tired, leave me alone!"

"What are you doing here?" Buttercup rudely asked. Ms. Keane glared at her, returning the Powerpuff leader to silence.

"Oh well uh, my uncle lives here. My mom sent me to live with him to learn, I dunno, like...human culture or something?" Blossom flew up to Baku's level, grinning as she hugged his arm.

"He's Uka-sensei's nephew!" The living room exploded in another flurry of reaction.

"Is that why he's so nice to you?" Buttercup shouted. This time, Ms. Keane offered no protection, she seemed just as interested. Blossom sighed and shook her head.

"No...well, not at first. I've been visiting Baku after school with Boomer as a cover...sorry, Boomer," Boomer waved his hands over his head. No one really understood the gesture. "And I guess, I spent a lot of time with Uka-sensei, so...well yeah! He likes me because I'm a good influence on his nephew!" Brick and Butch snorted and laughed again.

"Yeah...I'm not big on studying and stuff, so Uncle asked Blossom to make me learn stuff. He always jokes and says she's more," Baku laughed and lowered his voice, mocking Uka's voice, "Worthy an heir to my name than you," Blossom and Baku laughed again. Ms. Keane giggled, shaking her head.

"How long have you two been dating? Oh! I bet I know!" Ms. Keane jumped up, uncharacteristically excited. Had her sister been present, she'd have vouched for Cassie being something of a cheerleader for romance, "It was around the 24th of August, wasn't it?" Blossom and Baku stared incredulously.

"Um...yeah...but...how did you know?" Ms. Keane grinned and clapped her hands.

"Now it all makes sense! That's why you were afraid of my meeting with Mr. Uka, you didn't want me to embarrass you in front of your boyfriend's uncle," Blossom laughed and nodded.

"Yeah...I'm sorry about that, Ms. Keane,"

"So you're leaving soon?" Professor Utonium asked, arms crossed. Buttercup sat next to him, a mirror image of her father. Baku stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged, looking at Blossom.

"Um...we were going to study some more, but I don't-" Ms. Keane jumped up.

"Nonsense! You two go to your room and study, it's no trouble at all!" Blossom blinked, looking at Baku. He seemed just as flabbergasted. As the two turned to leave, Blossom calling her thanks, they heard an explosion of "WHAT?" followed by a frenzied arguing. The two ascended the stairs slowly, their blushes fading, though their grins grew. Blossom slid her door shut and sighed, laughing.

"That went better than I had hoped!" She cried, dropping down on her bed. Baku looked around her room, picking up a book lying on the floor. He flipped through a few pages and glanced at Blossom with a raised eyebrow.

"Why are you reading this? You're living it," Blossom flew up to him, snatching her book back.

"My situation is nothing like hers. She had a man, I have a god," Baku laughed and ruffled her hair, plopping down on her bed. Blossom pulled out a few notebooks and textbooks, setting them on the bed. She had planned ahead, filling the notebooks with details about human culture and history, enough that if anyone asked, they had something to show to prove they had been studying.

"So...what do we do now?" Blossom looked up, her blush returning with a vengeance. They were supposed to be planning... preparing. But... she glanced at Baku, who seemed confused. Blossom bit her lip, her hand slipping across the bed, finding his. He chuckled and gave her mitt a tight squeeze, leaning closer to her. Blossom's felt like she was on fire, "Well? Blossom?"

"Um...I...don't..." Blossom stuttered out. She glanced at the door, then back at Baku. Her heart fluttered in her chest: he was back in his true form. His eyebrows crackling, his fangs gleaming in the moonlight slipping in through her window. Blossom licked her lips.

**"Is it not your task to educate me on..." **He leaned closer, his breath caressing her cheek, **"human culture?" **Blossom shuddered, her legs locking up and her mouth going dry. She looked up at Aku, into his big, fiery red eyes. They were so close...this was it, this was the day...

"I guess..it is..." she whispered.

**"Then what is it boyfriends and girlfriends do...Blossom?"** He had to stop that, she thought, shivering again. She was going to need to change! Blossom swallowed the massive lump in her throat and leaned closer to Aku, so close she could smell the brimstone on his breath.

"Sorry to bother you! I just wanted to-" Ms. Keane blushed and giggled as she came in. Blossom and Baku were on other sides of the bed, both beet red and panting. Blossom glared at Ms. Keane, struggling to find her voice.

"M-M-M...Ms. Keane! Y-You...you sh-should...should knock first!" she exclaimed. Ms. Keane was beside herself, leaning against the door frame, laughing herself to tears.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! Oh my...that was...I'm so sorry, Blossom. I promise, I'll knock from now on," Baku sat up, still catching his breath. It had been close...he hadn't had to transform so fast before. He could only hope nothing was out of place. He coughed, clearing his throat—making sure it was the right voice—and looked up at Ms. Keane, curiosity replacing panic.

"D-Did you need something?" He asked. Blossom nodded.

"R-Right! What did you need, Ms. Keane?" Ms. Keane had, by now, recovered well enough to speak. She sighed and touched her face, still giggling.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to know if you two wanted any snacks? Did you have dinner, Blossom? I could warm up something for you both," Blossom shook her head, her breath slowing.

"I don't know, are you hungry, Baku?" Baku blinked, then slowly nodded.

"Um...yeah, I could eat something," Blossom nodded, rubbing her belly. She was hungry too.

"Maybe just some snacks?" Ms. Keane nodded.

"I'll be right back," She cut Blossom off with a laugh, "and I'll knock this time." Blossom nodded. As soon as the door clicked shut, Baku faded to Aku, who was still holding his glowing-red chest.

**"That infernal woman! She nearly ruined our hard work...**" Blossom nodded, crawling across the bed and laying down beside Aku.

"I know, but be nice to her. She's important to me," Aku nodded, twirling a lock of Blossom's hair between his fingers.

**"Of course, child...ha! But, surely your eyes beheld the precision and power of Aku's disguise!"** Blossom giggled and stroked his beard, nodding.

"Yeah...that was certainly impressive. I hope you don't have to do it too often though, your eyebrows were on fire when she walked in. Aku blinked and pinched one of his eyebrows. So that was what he had missed, was it?

**"Hm...next time then,"** Aku mused. He paused, grinning and lifting Blossom's chin. She was already blushing again, **"Now then, what was it you sought to teach the mighty Aku?"** Blossom licked her lips, shuddering as Aku ran his claws across her back. Blossom crawled closer to him, staring at his lips.

"W-Well..boyfriends and girlfriends...they..." Blossom trembled as one of Aku's stray tendrils—they usually came out when he was relaxed, something about his body wanting to return to its natural form—brushed against her legs. Blossom's toes curled, her breath caught in her throat when he ran his claws through her hair.

**"Is it something you can show me, Blossom?"** She smiled and gave a breathless laugh, nodding. She was afraid before, but no! Now it was time! It was finally time, she was finally going to...

"Uh huh..." Blossom caressed his face and leaned closer, pausing to steady her nerves. What if she did it wrong? What if he didn't want her to? What if...it wasn't as good as she hoped? Aku wrapped one arm around her, half-closing his eyes as he trailed a single finger across her cheek. Blossom's knees were trembling, her belly was doing flips and thrusts and just wouldn't settle down!

**"What comes next, Blossom?"** he whispered. Blossom gasped and shuddered. It was so hard to keep her balance, her body was all fuzzy and tingly! This was the right time! The perfect time!

"Well...we..." A knock sounded on the door. Blossom screamed. Aku screamed and threw her back, quickly changing his form again, while the door began to open. Blossom snatched one of her notebooks, Baku grabbed one of the textbooks. She smoothed out her skirt, he tried to smooth his hair, but he really couldn't do anything with it.

"I'm back!" Ms. Keane sang, "Who wants crispy treats?" She paused, again resisting the urge to giggle madly seeing the two flustered kids. Baku stiffly raised his hand, laughing nervously. Blossom was still too flustered to speak, content to just nod.

"Here you go, now don't work too hard. Remember, there's always time to have fun too!" She winked at Blossom, who nearly had a heart attack.

"Mom!" Ms. Keane laughed, quickly turning away to leave. Blossom happened to catch a glimpse of her wiping her eyes.

"Have fun kids, just let me know if you need anything," Blossom and Baku sat in relative silence, only broken by the sound of Baku munching on one of the crispy treats. Blossom sighed and snatched one for herself. If she wasn't quit, he'd eat them all!

**"You've never called her your mother before,"** Aku pointed out, putting his arm around Blossom. She nodded.

"Not...out loud, at least," She whispered. But it was true wasn't it? That...hadn't been part of the plan at all. It just slipped out. Blossom looked up at Aku. The god had crispy crumbs around his mouth. He looked down at her, offering the last bite of his treat. She smiled and nodded, surprised when he unceremoniously popped it in her mouth. Chewing, glaring, and with a childish sense of revenge, Blossom caught Aku's finger in her mouth before he could pull away.

The sensation wasn't what either expected. Aku froze, red cracks breaking out on his chest. Though she hadn't meant to, Blossom sucked on his finger almost instinctively. It tasted so sweet, she thought absentmindedly, closing her eyes. Rubbing her thighs together, Blossom slowly pulled away, panting. Aku was so close now; she looked up into his eyes. She couldn't breath anymore...she almost didn't want to, it made it feel like time had stopped.

**"Is...this part of your lesson?"** Aku finally asked. His other hand pulled her closer. A stray tendril found its way to her leg, lightly trailing its way up her stocking, only pausing when it reached the hem of her skirt. Blossom wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself into his lap. The stray tendril slipped up her skirt, her legs wouldn't stop shaking.

"Yeah...and so is this..." She whispered, pulling him closer. As the two fell back against the bed, Blossom felt something happen, something went wrong. Aku suddenly shrunk, his body cooled. The tendril up her skirt was gone. She gasped and rolled over as the door opened and the Professor walked in.

"Blossom, I just wanted to apologi-" the Professor opened his eyes and stared at the scene before him. Blossom, laying on top of Baku, her skirt hiked up, her hair mussed. They were flushed, panting, her arms around his neck. Whatever diplomacy and tolerance his girlfriend had talked into him vanished in an instant, replaced by blind fury.

"OOOOOOOUT!" He shouted, pointing at the door. Blossom and Baku were downstairs in a flash. The Rowdyruff Boys, Dexter, and Agent Honeydew were gone. Baku pulled on his shoes, laughing and rambling incoherently, apologizing to the Professor, who was already at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed, glaring at the pre-teen. Blossom flew up to his eye level. She was going to get her first kiss! No one was going to stop her!

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Baku nodded, she smiled, "Sorry about all this...um...good night!" She leaned forward. Baku leaned forward...only to be shoved out the door by Buttercup.

"And stay out!" She shouted, slamming the door in his face.

"Buttercup!" Blossom screamed, fury building in her heart unlike any she'd ever felt before. For a second she could feel her true power beginning to surface. She could feel the darkness bubbling up on the edge of her consciousness. She could almost feel her eyes beginning to burn.

"What is going on here?" Ms. Keane demanded, coming into the hallway. When she saw a furious Blossom, defiant Buttercup, and angry James, she could feel her own temper rising. "James Utonium! Buttercup Utonium! What did we just discuss?" Blossom clenched her fists so tight, she could feel her own bones grinding. She had to get away, she had to get away. She couldn't even hear their voices anymore. There was only a blinding, maddening black fury taking over her.

'Not now' she thought, struggling to control her own power. Vaguely, she was aware that her bracelet was starting to snap and sizzle. She climbed the stairs, taking each step one at a time. She came to a halt at the last step, looking up into a pair of big blue eyes.

"..." Blossom and Bubbles stood there, the former's fury slowly passing while the latter seemed to grow increasingly uncomfortable. Blossom sniffed and stomped passed Bubbles.

"I think you're perfect for each other," Bubbles suddenly said. Blossom froze and turned. Bubbles was holding Octi, but seemed to be ignoring him. He was staring at her, but she refused to look away from Blossom.

"You...do?" Blossom asked. Bubbles nodded and, for the first time in forever, smiled.

"Yeah, I do," she nodded and smiled, brighter still. Blossom slowly smiled too.

"Thank you," Bubbles looked down at Octi, gave Blossom one last smile, then slipped downstairs. Blossom laughed to herself as she went back to her room. He couldn't visit her at night anymore, now that he was projecting a fake tracking beacon for Uka-sensei. But they still had tomorrow. Tomorrow was going to be the day she had waited for for so long.

Tomorrow, she and Aku would share their first kiss!


	60. Absolution

"_**Fear and panic in the air**_

_**I want to be free from desolation and despair**_

_**And I feel like everything I sow**_

_**Is being swept away**_

_**Well I refuse to let you go"**_

**Map of the Problematique (Muse "Black Holes and Revelations")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 26**

Blossom stalked through the hallways of Townsville Elementary, occasionally glancing over her shoulder to make sure she wasn't being followed. She wasn't, of course, her distraction would keep the necessary faculty members away long enough. By now, Principal Durry was meeting with Uka-sensei in his classroom. They were taking a big risk, but it was one they needed to take if they expected any results. After a lifetime of deception, Blossom wasn't about to withhold the truth from those who deserved it. She glanced around the corner, her eyes widening. She began shaking until her body fazed out of sight, just as the teacher ran by. Blossom reappeared, rubbing her now stinging wrist.

'That was close...gotta be more careful,' There it was, A11-21. Blossom hovered the rest of the distance, not daring to make even the slightest sound. She hovered as close to the ceiling as she could, just out of the line of sight for the nearest security camera. Thanks to Boomer, though, there shouldn't be anyone watching the screens. Blossom focused on the classroom door, her eyes glowing and her ears perking up.

Inside, the scene was just as she suspected. Principal Durry was furious and Uka-sensei was as sympathetic as she expected: not one iota.

"I can't believe I poured myself out to you like that! How...how drunk was I? Why didn't I recognize you!" she rambled, pacing back and forth. Her normally neat hair was a mess; her hands constantly flew through her blonde locks in a nervous anger. She paused, tugging at her hair as Uka-sensei shrugged.

"Uka is a master of disguise, it is but one of his many powers," he explained. Principal Durry screamed—Blossom was glad the "incident" was keeping everyone's attention—and slammed her hands on his desk.

"You...you manipulative...you...monster...you...you MAN!" Principal Durry screamed again and hit the blackboard. Uka-sensei sighed and glanced up. He could, more than likely, sense Blossom's presence. Blossom shook her head. Things were going fine, she thought. She had anticipated Principal Durry being angry.

"Why? Why would you do this? You don't like this job! You don't need this job! Barthandelus told me about you! You're one of the 'Old Ones' he says! You're a Super-Monster! Why? WHY!" Her voice cracked toward the end. Blossom blinked, surprised to hear tears in Principal Durry's voice. Blossom swallowed and closed her eyes. This was the moment of truth. Everything she had planned so far would be lost if she was wrong about the principal.

"You are most correct, Uka finds this occupation loathsome and irritating. I have no real power, I must bow to the whims of ignorant parents and an even more ignorant administration. No, Uka did not return for the job...he returned to keep watch over her," Principal Durry had stopped pacing. She was now by the window, leaning against it and staring down at the playground. Was she considering jumping? Blossom shook her head, she wasn't that stupid. If she did jump, there were six meta-humans in the area who could catch her. Blossom glanced around again, to ensure she was still hidden.

"You mean Blossom, don't you?" Uka-sensei nodded. His eyebrows had suddenly caught on fire. Principal Durry shuddered and crossed her arms. She refused to look at Uka as he took on his true form. The room grew hotter, the lights drew dimmer.

**"She is my world, I could not bear the separation,"** Aku started toward her, but Principal Durry shook her head. She turned, keeping her eyes closed and walked to the door.

"Why didn't I figure this out from the beginning? It wasn't your plan was it? Is she listening to us now? Where is she?" Aku crossed his arms, gesturing toward the door. Principal Durry peered through the tiny window and stared at Blossom. She hovered in the dark corner of the hallway, arms crossed, an unreadable expression on her face. Principal Durry turned away, finally facing Aku.

"Are you going to kill me if I tell anyone? Why reveal yourself to me?"

**"Blossom felt you could be trusted,"**

"I'm a woman. Just a plain...regular woman. Why me?"

**"There are things about that child that even the mighty Aku fails to comprehend,"** Principal Durry walked to the window again, lightly touching the cool surface. Blossom cocked her head, wishing, not for the first time, that she could read minds. Principal Durry clenched her fist and rested her head against the glass.

**"Your life is not in danger, Durry,"** Anne Durry looked over her shoulder. Aku was looking at the door. Blossom nodded, narrowing her eyes, **"You are free to use this knowledge how you see fit. She...we merely wished for all cards to be pulled upon the counter top,"** Principal Durry raised an eyebrow while Blossom slapped her forehead. Aku frowned, his eyebrows focusing to sizzling embers.

"I see...I...don't know," Blossom dropped from the air the second the bell rang. She waited until she heard the tell-tale stampede of kids going to their classrooms before she strolled into her own. Uka-sensei greeted her with a nod. She and Principal Durry made eye contact. The animosity from before seemed...gone, somehow. There was something that almost resembled understanding in Anne Durry's eyes.

"Well, I won't keep you, Uka-san..." She stopped in front of Blossom, ignoring the other students piling in around her. Blossom raised an eyebrow, an innocent, confused look on her face. Principal Durry bent over, brushed her hair back, and spoke in a hushed tone—it was a disciplinary tone.

"We'll see how things turn out," was all she said. Blossom nodded, casting Uka-sensei a near unreadable smirk before taking her seat. Uka-sensei returned it and cleared his throat, addressing the classroom.

She hadn't been wrong...

* * *

"Are you sure? Wasn't she like...on your case all the time?" Baku asked, hands stuffed in his pockets as he and Blossom strolled through Townsville National Park. It still wasn't what it used to be...but something Dexter had invented seemed to be speeding the recovery. It almost looked pretty again, Blossom thought.

"She was, but sometimes humans hide their true intentions by emphasizing the opposite. It's what the phrase 'thou dost protest too much' is in reference to," Blossom explained. The two paused near what remained of the infamous Townsville volcano. Blossom glanced at Baku, who had a lazy, sleepy look in his eyes. Smiling, she floated higher, hugging his arm.

"So...you just guessed?" He asked. Blossom rested her head on his shoulder.

"More or less, but I think we both know I was correct," Baku nodded, smiling and kissing the top of Blossom's head.

"Right, right! My little Cherry Blossom is so smart!" Blossom rolled her eyes and giggled. Her gaze locked on his lips. This would be the perfect moment: they were alone, no one could possibly stop them! As she leaned closer, Baku suddenly turned, sniffing the air, "Hey! Hot dogs!" he called, dragging Blossom away.

"Hey! We can get a hot dog later!" She protested, tugging on his arm. It was to no avail, once Aku decided he was hungry, there was little in Heaven and Earth that could stop him. Even Blossom failed to overcome the god's appetite.

"Six! Make it quick too!" Blossom sighed and glared at the hot dog vendor. He nervously prepared six greasy hot dogs, passing them to Baku—who ate each one as it was passed to him. The vendor tried to mouth an apology, but it only infuriated Blossom further. Even miles from home, someone seemed determined to prevent her and Aku from finally expressing the passionate extent of their...of their love!

"Mm! These are fantastic! Way better than anything I ever had before I got here!" The two were now sitting on a bench, watching cars go by. Blossom had her arms crossed still, though her glare was lightening. By the time Baku finally looked at her again, it was gone, replaced by a soft smile. Blossom slipped her mitt into his free hand. Baku, getting the hint, gave it a squeeze as he stuffed his last hot dog into his mouth.

"You know, most girlfriends would get mad at you for not offering her a bite," Baku blinked, swallowing the bite. He chuckled and gave Blossom a wicked leer.

"You buy your own, I have an allowance now," Blossom smirked and shoved him lightly.

"I don't even have an allowance. You should be chivalrous!" Baku laughed and shoved her back.

"You're asking the wrong monster if you want chivalry! That died before I did!" Blossom giggled and tried to push him again. Baku was too strong though, and pulled her into a restrictive hug. Giggling, she kicked her legs and stared into his steaming red eyes. There was a trail of smoke rising up from each eye and his eyebrows had tiny embers dancing in them.

"Careful, Bay...things are getting a little...hot," Baku chuckled, his voice a few octaves lower.

"Maybe I like it better that way?" Their faces were getting closer, Blossom thought! It was going to happen! This was how it happened, it just had to be! What could be more romantic than flirting on a bench, then kissing on a warm, breezy afternoon? A plastic can hit the side of the bench, ruining the moment. Blossom narrowed her eyes, expecting romance in the city in the middle of the day? What had she been thinking?

The culprits, newer members of the Gang Green Gang, all laughed and kicked another can their way. It was no secret, the Gang hated Blossom. It was also no secret that the feeling was mutual. In their defense, it was her fault most of them were orphaned. In her defense, she didn't exactly get a chance to finish the job.

"Get a room, freaks!"

"Yeah, get lost!" The kids laughed again, another can flying their way. Baku snatched this one from the air, incinerating it the second his fingers clasped around it. That was good enough to scare them off, but not before a few more cans came flying their way. Blossom sighed and slipped out of Baku's lap—the moment was gone. Baku climbed to his feet and brushed his pants off.

"I guess we should go to the library..." Blossom grumbled and grabbed her backpack, floating into the air.

"We don't have to meet with Boomer today...but...we could still go to the library," She said, winking. Baku laughed out loud and raised an eyebrow.

"Why in the world would we go to the library if you aren't studying? That's so stupid!" Blossom could feel it, that blinding black fury rising in her heart. Baku must have felt it too because he began to sweat, "Sure! Let's go to the library...I love...books..."And it was gone again. Blossom grinned and took that moment to strike. As she leaned forward to kiss him, a skateboarder crashed into Baku's backpack, which he had dropped when he felt Blossom's power rising. The punk collided with Baku, knocking them both to the ground...and leaving Blossom puckering at empty air.

"Woah, sorry man! My bad!" Baku rubbed his head and glowered, but accepted the skater's offered hand. The two both turned, their hackles rising at the sight of the practically blazing Powerpuff girl. Blossom held her mitt out, her eyes glistening.

"**GO!**" she demanded. The skater was only too happy to comply. Baku watched him leave, then patted Blossom's head.

"Relax, Cherry Blossom, accidents happen," Blossom glared at him. He only laughed while she hovered down the street, still fuming.

* * *

The Townsville Public Library, a refuge from the hustle and bustle of big city living and the frantic sibling rivalries of the Utonium chateaus. It had long been one of Blossom's most cherished retreats, a place where she could just curl up and wrap herself in silence, drowning in a good book. A place where she could get lost in another world, be it fictional or factual. Now, it stood to be the sight of her greatest triumph, her most glorious moment!

'This is perfect! The library is so quiet, no one will ever be able to disturb us! And no one ever goes to the tax documentation section of the business aisle, it's perfect!' Blossom could barely contain her giggles as she and Baku strolled through the business wing of the library. They reached the corner where the tax documents were kept. Blossom grinned and turned to Baku. To her horror, he had pulled down one of the ledgers and was now reading it like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

'That book is good but I'm so much better! Why...he hates books!' Blossom was furious. That black fury had never completely left, and now it was rising so quickly, she was afraid she may lose control. What then? Thus far, the only things that had kept her power at bay were her bracelet and this sinking feeling in her stomach—her body reacting to that degree of power? She wasn't sure what the second symptom was, nor did she care. She had a quest, dammit!

"Baku, what are you reading?" Baku flipped to the next page, enthralled.

"Your country's tax law...it's incredible! Why didn't I ever think of something like this? Trickle down economics? Ha, brilliant!" Blossom snarled, her fists trembling. Reaganomics, of all things, stole Aku's attention from her? Blossom flew up to his eye level, half-pouting, half-frothing with homicidal rage.

"Baku...why don't we sit over here? There's no one else around..." Blossom pulled the book down, smiling when she caught Baku's gaze. His green cheeks turned pink, then red as a grin spread across his lips.

"Ah ha! I was wondering what you had planned...so...we're going to study human...culture, are we?" Blossom blushed and grinned, grabbing his hand. As she turned, Baku lightly kissed her head again. The Powerpuff girl shivered, growing more anxious than ever. He knew exactly what she wanted! He knew, he was just teasing her, like he always did.

Blossom couldn't help giggling as the two sat back in one particularly dark corner. She shuddered when her shirt slid up and Baku's hand brushed against her side. His lips touched her neck, her breath caught in her throat. Blossom ran her mitts through his hair; there was a mischievous, knowing glint in his eyes. His lips brushed against her cheek; his hand slid up her shirt, the other cradling her head so...perfectly.

"Baku...don't tease me...please," she whispered. Baku smiled, his lips just inches away from hers.

"I wouldn't dare, Cherry Blossom," This was it!

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING!" Baku yelled in surprise, jumping up and landing across from Blossom, his eyes wide and terrified. Blossom slowly looked up, grinding her teeth and barely containing a feral growl building in her throat. It was Traci Kingston, the assistant librarian. She was blushing furiously, but maintaining a stern glare as she approached the two.

"Blossom! I never would have expected to find you back here!" Blossom climbed to her feet, shaking.

"No one ever comes back here! What are you doing snooping around?" Blossom demanded. Traci crossed her arms.

"I work here! What are you doing back-" Traci pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head, "No, no, no, no, no, don't tell me. You know better! There's no canoodling in the library!" Baku hadn't believed it possible for Blossom's face to get redder...but even three feet away he could feel the heat she was giving off.

"We were NOT canoodling!" You interrupted us before we got that far! Blossom thought bitterly. She grabbed Baku and dragged him with her, followed by Traci all the way to the exit. Blossom flashed a dangerous glare over her shoulder, but didn't go back. They had to find somewhere private. The top of a building or an alley or something! She didn't even care about romance anymore, she had been patient! She had taken her time! She had been a good girlfriend! She deserved this kiss, and no one in Heaven or Earth was going to stop her!

"KISS ME!" She shouted, turning around and glaring at Baku, still holding his wrist with all of her might. Baku blinked and laughed sheepishly.

"I keep trying to, you really need to quit attracting trouble," He swallowed and backed away as far as he could when a snarl escaped Blossom's lips. She could feel her eyes burning. Was she going to cry? She felt like crying. Blossom took a step closer, when her backpack began beeping. Blossom dropped Baku's hand and closed her eyes. Her body shook uncontrollably, a scream trying to fight its way free. She took a deep, deep, deep, deep breath and slowly let it out.

Blossom dug around in her backpack and pulled out the communicator Dexter had given her—to make sure she never went off on her own again. Blossom sighed, "What do you need, Buttercup?"

"What's wrong with you?" The annoyance was suddenly replaced by panic, "Are you okay? Is there anything you need?" Blossom groaned and slapped her forehead.

"What I need, you can't give me, Sis,"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Blossom sighed again.

"Nothing, what did you want?" Buttercup huffed. Blossom could hear voices in the background—she must have called during training.

"Dinner is gonna be ready soon, Dad wanted me to tell you to come home," Blossom clenched her fists. So close, she was...she opened her eyes and grinned. Baku glanced around nervously.

"Tell him to set an extra place, Baku is coming home too," Just in time to hear an explosive "WHAT?" Blossom closed her phone, shut it off, and stuffed it back into her backpack. She smiled and giggled, her spirits flying high again.

"Come on, it's time for supper," Baku blinked and started to follow Blossom. After a few blocks, he took the hint and held her hand. As the house came into view, Blossom glanced up at Baku. He looked back at her, confused. He couldn't help smiling, looking in her bright eyes. Blossom grinned and leaned forward suddenly. She missed when Baku came to a halt. He may have avoided running into the side of Ms. Keane's car, but Blossom wasn't so lucky.

"Oh my! Blossom, are you okay? Here, let me help you up, Dear," Blossom wanted to cry. She wanted to scream and cry and pound her fists, it wasn't fair! She deserved this kiss! Why couldn't she get it?

"It's okay, Mom, I wasn't looking," Ms. Keane smiled a bit brighter and walked with the two, crushing Blossom's hope of another kiss attempt before going inside.

"Did you two have a good day?" Baku shrugged, squeezing Blossom's hand.

"My day was alright, I had to talk to a teacher about my conduct," Ms. Keane blinked and the trio paused outside the house.

"What conduct exactly?"

"I was doodling pictures of Blossom all day," That comment made mother and daughter alike blush. Giggling, Ms. Keane led them inside, where Buttercup and Professor Utonium had already assumed their defensive stances. Bubbles sat at the end of the stairs. Octi was nowhere to be found. To Blossom's surprise, she smiled and waved as the two entered. Blossom returned the smile.

"You've been out a while," Buttercup said, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. Blossom and Baku both noticed that she was radiating more power than usual. Blossom gaped at her sister. She wouldn't exceed the Professor's limit to help them fight Sedusa, but she would go **that** far to try to scare her boyfriend? Blossom's own energy started rising. It met a ceiling much sooner than she liked, but she kept pushing, hoping that maybe if her bracelet sizzled, Buttercup would get the point.

"It's only six, Buttercup," Ms. Keane pointed out, kissing the Professor's cheek. He was sitting in the living room, his pipe in his mouth. Blossom could hear him chewing on the end, grinding it between his teeth.

"You could have called," The Professor said. Buttercup nodded.

"Yeah, called!" Blossom rolled her eyes and dragged Baku toward the stairs. Bubbles moved out of their way.

"...Are you staying for supper?" She asked, cracking the building fury in the hallway. Everyone stared at Bubbles, amazed that she had spoken to Blossom so willingly. Baku shrugged.

"I might, we have a lot of studying to do," Ms. Keane smiled, dragging the Professor into the kitchen.

"Well, we'll set a place for you, just in case, right Bubbles?" Bubbles beamed and nodded.

"Yup!" Buttercup flew over to Bubbles, poking her in the chest.

"What are you talking about! He's a monster!"

"Rawr!" She and Bubbles said simultaneously. Buttercup blushed and Bubbles giggled. Blossom shook her head as the two reached the top of the stairs.

"Your sister seems...awfully accepting," Baku noted. Blossom paused, staring at Octi, who was perched at the top of the stairs. He was staring vapidly at the two, smiling so arrogantly. She shuddered and let the two of them in her room, peeking out at Octi one last time before locking the door.

"I know, I don't know why...but I don't think Octi has anything to do with it," She tapped her chin, pacing around her room. The air had grown hotter, there was a fire crackling nearby.

**"You shouldn't think so hard child, you might-"** Before Aku could finish chastising her, Blossom lunged at him, grabbing his face with all of her might! Aku gasped, but it was cut off as her lips pressed tightly against his. Her heart felt like it was on fire! Her blood raced, her stomach did back flips! Without wasting another second, Blossom wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him even closer. He needed no more encouragement, wrapping his arm around her tiny body and cradling her head gently with his massive hand.

It wasn't how she imagined...no, somehow it felt even better! Like drinking fire, a searing hot flame that shot through her body and set every nerve aflutter. The tendril sliding across her leg sent cold shots of electricity through her body, the fingers slipping up her shirt made her little body tremble. Blossom pulled her legs up, that wonderful tingling in her middle spreading as the fire caressed her insides.

Blossom moaned, tightening her embrace. Aku growled, low in his throat. Sweat streaked her body, her chilly room suddenly felt sweltering. A sharp knock on the door broke the two apart, gasping for air and staring wide-eyed at each other. Blossom licked her lips, starting forward again. There was another sharp knock. Baku, as flushed and hot as she was, shook his head, gently touching her lips.

"Hey...door..." Blossom nodded, trying to kiss him again. Again, Baku refused, laughing breathlessly and turning her to the door. Blossom swallowed and nodded, trying to cool down. Everything felt so...real, so electric! She stumbled to the door on trembling legs. When she grasped the doorknob, she nearly gasped at the cool sensation. With all of her might, Blossom tried to pull herself together, just long enough to crack the door open.

"What?" She gasped out.

"It's time for supper," Bubbles whispered. Blossom nodded, shutting the door. She heard Bubbles leave and turned to Baku, a bright, blissful smile on her lips. He nodded and took her hand, following her from the room.

* * *

Liberty Belle gasped, choking on the blood trickling from her lips. Devil Blossom stood over her, as lightning struck overhead. The fallen hero tried to reach for her lasso. Her body was already fading, becoming a glistening white light. Devil Blossom stomped down on her hand.

_ And every night...I lay awake_

The disease was finished, she thought with a giddy grin. After so much fighting, she was finally finished! She looked up at Devil Blossom, her green eyes glowing like miniature suns. She struggled to her knees, holding her chest.

_**And I find no conclusion**_

Devil Blossom drew her hand back, her arm shifting into a twisted, cruel black blade.

_ And every night...it just stays the same_

The blade rammed through the white figure's chest, spraying the street with blood. Slowly, a puddle of black began to gather at her feet, mixing with the shining white blood. The pale green in her cheeks grew lighter, warmer. Her eyes began to heat up. Now naked, fire consumed her body.

_**I dream of absolution...**_

Blossom threw her head back and laughed until tears streamed down her face.


	61. Return to Madness

"_**There was a guy**_

_**An underwater guy who patrolled the sea**_

_**Got killed by ten million pounds of sludge**_

_**From New York and New Jersey"**_

**Monkey Gone to Heaven (The Pixies "Doolittle")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 27**

It was an uneventful Thursday afternoon at the Townsville Public Library. Blossom sat across Baku's lap, deeply engrossed in a particularly musty old history book, almost as old and untouched as the book on Reaganomics her boyfriend poured over enthusiastically. Of the three, only Boomer was less than thrilled to be reading. He stared at his math homework, his brow tightly knit, his eraser, barely a nub now, shoved in his mouth. He glanced up at his friends, a smile weaseling its way onto his face when he saw the look of utter contentment on Blossom's face.

"Hey...sorry, but can you help me?" he asked. Blossom nodded, floating away from her comfy perch on Baku's lap. She leaned over Boomer's shoulder, eying the problem in question.

"Let's see...hm, that one?" Boomer nodded and sighed, setting his pencil down and rubbing his head.

"I know, I know, it's easy...I just can't get the numbers to look right. My head feels full of funk," he moaned. Blossom nodded, patting his shoulder and erasing a few of his marks. Boomer sighed, taking an extra long breath as Blossom's hair fell over his face.

"Why don't you wear your bow anymore?" He suddenly asked, surprising even himself. Blossom peered at him through her hair, an eyebrow raised, "Not that I'm complaining..." He muttered. She just smiled and shook her head, softly giggling as another serene look passed over Boomer's face.

"Everyone seemed to think my bow was a symbol of my leadership. When I gave up being the leader, I gave up wearing my bow," Blossom stood up straight, brushing her hair away from her face, "Why? Do you think I should wear it again?" Boomer stared at her, his cheeks bright red.

"Um...well I mean, if you wanted to. I uh..." His blush darkened, his grin growing, "You look pretty no matter what," It was Blossom's turn to blush. Behind them, Baku cleared his throat, glaring at Boomer while flames sparked from his eyebrows.

"Watch it, bro," Blossom rolled her eyes and waved off his threat.

"Relax Bay," She turned back to Boomer, smiling brightly, "I appreciate that, Boomer...it means a lot...oh right, your problem. Well you had a few of your numbers mixed up. It's actually 512, not 521. Try it again," Boomer furrowed his brow, settling back into his addition. Blossom, meanwhile, settled back into her seat. She looked up from her book to see Baku's still miffed expression.

"What's wrong? There is nothing wrong with Boomer thinking I'm pretty," she huffed. Baku snorted in response. His eyebrows were still on fire.

"There are a lot of things wrong with it! You're my girlfriend, he shouldn't think you're pretty!" Blossom sighed and closed her book again. She wrapped her arms around Baku's neck and gave him a soft kiss.

"Aku...don't be like this. You know how I feel about Boomer," She whispered.

Baku nodded, "I am aware, child. But don't forget how Aku regards the Blue Boy," Blossom nodded. She couldn't expect him to respect her feelings if she didn't respect his, right? Boomer suddenly jumped to his feet, throwing his fist in the air with a loud shout.

"I GOT IT!" A chorus of shushes, hisses, and threats from across the library responded. Blossom laughed; Baku rolled his eyes. His little victories never ceased to amuse Blossom.

"Good job, Boomer!" She offered with a tiny applause which, after a warning glare thrown his way, Baku joined.

"Yes...your victory over simple arithmetic will be remembered for generations..." He muttered, slipping out of his practiced dialect. Boomer laughed and scratched his head.

"You really think so? Wow, thanks Aku! I thought you hated me!" Another glare cut off a biting comeback. Baku just sighed and rested his chin on his head.

"I try, Blue Boy," Boomer laughed again. Suddenly, his laugh stopped and he jumped to his feet.

"I JUST REMEMBERED!" Again, most of the library told him to 'kindly lower his speaking volume' in a flurry of noises and comments that were significantly more annoying than his single outburst. Boomer dropped back into his chair, "Dad wanted to see you, Blossom!" Blossom blinked and pointed stupidly at herself.

"Mojo wants to see me?" Truth be told, she had been wanting to see Mojo herself. After what Boomer had told her, how Mojo asked for updates on her wellbeing, and after missing his last attack...she had a lot of questions for her once arch-nemesis. Boomer nodded and began packing his stuff, suddenly frantic.

"That's right! He wanted to see you today, we gotta hurry! C'mon! He said it was real important!" Boomer grabbed Blossom's hand and began to drag her toward the door. In an instant, Baku was alight with fire and in front of the two, fangs gleaming and hands pulsing with unchained energy.

**"Release her this instant, Boy!"** he snarled. No one dared to shush the monster, though a few did reach for their phones, ready to call the police, army, whoever at a moment's notice. Boomer blinked and looked at Blossom in confusion. Baku's power blinked out the moment he made eye contact with the powerpuff's icy stare.

"Sorry...just...you know...wanted to hurry..." Boomer mumbled. Blossom grabbed Boomer's hand and lead him to the exit. When Baku tried to follow, Blossom glared at him again. Taking the hint, the demon pouted, crossed his arms, and vanished in a flash of fire and smoke. Boomer, swallowing, scratched his hair.

"Don't be mad at him...it was my fault," Blossom shook her head. The two flew into the air, making their way to the Townsville Detention Center, hoping to get in a visit before hours ended.

"Maybe, but that's no excuse...and I'm not really mad, just a bit frustrated," Boomer nodded. In seconds the two were walking through a massive pair of armored doors. The process was never easy...at least, that's how Boomer described it. They had to scan their registration cards, check them for weapons (which was, admittedly stupid all things considered), read off a list of rules and regulations, and slowly, very slowly, lead them to Mojo's cell.

It was a solitary cell in the deepest part of the facility. According to the guard, it had been constructed specifically for Mojo Jojo. The cell was sealed by six doors, each with different passwords and levels of clearance required to bypass. By the time the cell finally opened, Blossom was exhausted just from waiting.

The guard looked uncomfortable as the three stepped through the first protective ward, into a smaller, more traditional looking cell. At first, Blossom barely recognized Mojo, sitting quietly in the corner of the cell, staring at a small color television. He looked up just as they walked in. The moment he saw Blossom, his eyes got wide. He climbed to his feet, switching off the television and resting a hand against the protective screen separating them.

"You came," He said. His voice no longer carried the dramatic, boisterous vigor she remembered. It was...normal.

"Yeah," Blossom glanced at the guard, who slipped outside. She slowly walked toward the cell, their pink eyes locked unblinking, "Boomer said you've been wanting to see me," Mojo chuckled, his gaze drifting to the floor.

"That is quite the understatement, Blossom..." Blossom paused, a few inches from the glass. No stutter, no repetition, just a straight answer. She bit her lip and crossed her arms.

"So...what did you want to ask me?" From the corner of her eye, she saw Boomer take a seat in the corner, watching them like a child waiting for his parents to start fighting.

"Originally? I wanted to ask you why you never came...but I suppose, we both know the answer to that, don't we?" Their eyes met. Of course, that was easy to explain. She hadn't arrived to stop his hostile takeover because she was busy planning her own. Blossom nodded.

"Then why now? Why not break out and try again? I'll be there this time..." Mojo laughed and shook his head. For some reason, he couldn't keep the smile off his lips.

"Why bother? I've seen for myself the power you possess. The world has seen your true strength. Only a fool would even dare cross you now," Blossom giggled and relaxed, moving her hands to her hips.

"Then I guess it's good that we've got plenty of fools, huh?" Mojo sighed and rested his head on the glass.

"You were so close..." her eyes widened, "In all the years I've tried to take over this town, let alone this world, I never came anywhere near what you achieved. It was amazing...seeing the lights, hearing the explosions, knowing that in the heart of it all...was you, Blossom,"

"To think that you, of all people, would come closer than any before you at conquering the city of Townsville...no the world. You ask me, why do you stay here, Mojo? I answer...why bother, if even you couldn't make it? You...my sister, my rival..." Blossom swallowed and rested her hand against the glass, pressed against Mojo's.

"I still failed...things haven't exactly gone well for me since then. I don't know how you managed to deal with it. The persecution, the hate, the fear..." She trailed off, shuddering.

"You may have not conquered the world, Blossom, but don't let anyone lead you to believe you've failed. Just look around you! Surely you realize what you've done!" He cried.

"But...I lost..." She jumped when Mojo's fist hit the glass.

"Have you? Perhaps you lost the battle, Blossom, but have you truly lost?" Blossom looked down, staring at her right hand. The bracelet now locked around her wrist...a shackle on her power to keep her under control. A symbol of how they repressed her...a memento of the fear she drove into their hearts. A reminder of just how close she'd come. She touched her chest, the scar Buttercup left no longer hurt.

Blossom looked up into Mojo's eyes, "Why did you want to see me?" Mojo turned away, pacing the room. In the corner, Boomer stirred, climbing to his feet. Blossom narrowed her eyes, "Jojo?" The villain froze in place, clenching his fists.

"Don't make me say it, you know why I wanted to see you, Blossom," Now it was her turn to hit the glass. The blow left behind a subtle, faint crack.

"Say it! Say it if you mean it!" Mojo sighed and turned to face her. He flinched, licking his lips. There was an unnatural air surrounding Blossom. A rippling, pulsing energy filling the room, one that even her bracelet couldn't contain. One that Dexter's machine couldn't comprehend.

"I...needed to see you again, Blossom. I have these strange feelings, ones I can't understand anymore. I think that...I took for granted the two years I had of being able to see your face, or hear your voice whenever I desired. Once I lost our contests, our battles, I realized how I needed them...how I needed you," Mojo sighed and folded his arms behind his back, standing before Blossom once again. They were nearly the same height now.

"I asked Boomer to bring you because I have these strange...uncomfortable, unpleasant, and downright peculiar feelings of...adoration, desire, admiration...love for you," Blossom smiled and closed her eyes. Her flowing power began to ebb, until trickling to a stop. She felt Boomer's hand on her shoulder, she could hear the guard opening the door again. Their time was up.

"You know...I've always respected you too, Mojo. You saved me and my sisters. You accepted us for how we were before anyone else. You've been...a constant, in our ever changing lives. I miss our battles..." Blossom smiled and ran her mitt across the crack she'd left in the glass. Lowering her voice, she spoke just as the last few doors began to open.

"To answer your question..." Mojo seemed taken aback. Suddenly, Blossom was like a completely different person. There was a fire in her eyes that even he didn't recognize, "They haven't beaten me, they've only made me stronger," Mojo and Boomer both shivered. Blossom's grin vanished the moment the last door opened.

"I'll talk to you later, Pops," Boomer called. Mojo waved, a contemplative look in his eyes. As the door began to close, Blossom caught a glimpse of a very familiar, toothy grin spread across his lips.


	62. November 8th, 2001

**November 8th, 2001**

**Patient Name: Blossom Utonium**

_It's only been a few days since I last saw Blossom, but I can tell that things are starting to change in Townsville...and all of the changes seem to be linked back to that little girl. I overheard from a colleague that Blossom was seen visiting the prison with Boomer Honeydew...who were they visiting? Maybe...it was him?_

_I received a message earlier from Blossom; she should be arriving any minute now. Of all the things that will never change about that girl, being punctual is near the top of that list. Just what do you have in store for me, Blossom? Just what is it you're planning?_

"Hi there! I've been looking forward to seeing you again!"

"Good evening, Dr. Elise! I was really looking forward to this too. Oh sorry, I'll come in,"

"No hurry, it's just a little rain! Would you like to sit down? Can I get you anything to eat? Drink?"

"Oh, thank you...um...I'll just have some juice if you have any,"

"Of course, is grape juice alright?"

"That sounds great, thank you,"

"So tell me...what have you been up to? I keep hearing all of these rumors from colleagues...wandering around the Townsville Forest, hanging around the rough side of town, visiting supervillains in prison..."

"You've heard all of that? Hm...I guess I'm being a little forward, aren't I?"

"No...no, most people wouldn't notice at all. I just do because...well you know,"

"Of course, knowing things like that comes with the job. That's why I'm glad to have you on my side,"

"Oh stop it...you're making me blush. Here, enjoy!"

"Thank you! Mm..."

"So, how is school going?"

"It's going well, actually. My grades are actually getting better,"

"That...how is that even possible? I remember before you said you were getting perfect marks,"

"Mmhm...I've started taking extra assignments. Uka-sensei wants to see me challenged,"

"Is any of it interesting?"

"Actually, yes! I'm doing an investigative report on a legend from Feudal Japan, around the period that Aku ruled...I'm trying to find out how to release his most powerful minion, the Soul Collector,"

"S-Soul Collector?"

"What about you, Doctor? How is work?"

"I haven't had much lately...I was released by my employer,"

"...You were? As in..."

"My main employer, I'm still working at the clinic during the week,"

"...Who was it?"

"I don't even know, we never met in person. He would give me a task, I'd complete it, he would leave a check at this address. Believe me, after what happened in August, I tried to figure out who it was. How is your chest, by the way?"

"Doctor...Mom, that healed a long time ago. I only have Buttercup's scar left now,"

"Does that still hurt?"

"No, no after what happened Tyler Benson, I haven't felt any pain at all. The pain in my arm, my chest, my feet, it's all gone. It's strange, I don't feel much pain at all now, even when I should. Just...you know, once a month,"

"Right...I'd forgotten you were a...um...very early bloomer..."

"I'm not exactly human, Mom,"

"That's true, but who is anymore? Being human is so 2000. Listen, Blossom, you never told me...what are you doing sneaking around like this?"

"I'm not sneaking,"

"No, you're right, you aren't. If someone wanted to, they could get you in serious trouble. You're visiting villains for no reason...after what happened in April, some idiot could take it as if-"

"As if I'm asking for help? As if I'm testing the waters of my position? You could say it's something like that...I want to know who I can trust,"

"...Who have you found?"

"It's essentially who I expected...Aku, Boomer, Mojo Jojo, yourself, and Principal Durry. The Principal though...she's still not ready to commit. I know she wants to, but...she's afraid,"

"That isn't comforting...Principal Durry? You mean...Anne Durry? As in..."

"Femme Fatale? Yes, she's my principal...you know each other?"

"Well, we would have met one way or the other. But, yes, we went to high school together. We were...friends,"

"Really? You don't seem so sure,"

"Well, it was a complicated relationship. Most of the complication was my fault and, well, we never really got a chance to work things out. I dropped out, she graduated, and we never spoke to each other, even when we saw each other a couple years ago,"

"..."

"Is um, is something wrong? You look...so intense now,"

"Mom, I think I may have a new job for you,"

"R-Really? You mean, me or...me?"

"You, of course, my Mom,"

"What is it?"

"Well..I've run into a couple of problems,"

"Oh dear, she's pacing again..."

"For one, there's the Soul Collector thing...we need some kind of excuse, but I don't know what. Nevermind, I'll come back to that. I need you to talk to Miss Durry,"

"What? Oh no, no, no, no, no...no, I couldn't do that. Annie would never listen to me,"

"I need you, Mom! I can't get through to her, she's too afraid! You know what happened to her with her husband, and then there was her time as a criminal, she's trying to protect herself, but this would be better for everyone! Better for her! I need you to convince her to join us,"

"I really don't think this would be a good idea...you don't understand, Blossom, when I said we had a falling out...I mean it's more...well...I may have tried to...kill her..."

"But you never apologized! You need to, I order you to!"

"Blossom! I..."

"Please, Mom, do this for me?"

"..."

"Then, do it for yourself, if I'm not a good enough reason,"

"I never said that,"

"No, but maybe it's the truth. You need this,"

"Annie..."

"Just, come by the school tomorrow, okay? I'll see if Uka-sensei can get an interview set up for you. We need a new guidance counselor,"

"...I can't make any promises that she'll listen to me,"

"No, you can't. But, whatever happens, I know you won't let me down,"

"..."

"Listen, I've been here a bit too long, I should go. Thank you for the juice,"

"You're welcome..."

"Mom?"

"Hm?"

"I love you, and even if...despite what I am...I really do want you to be happy,"

"..."

"I'll see you tomorrow,"

"...I love you too...I'll see you tomorrow,"_  
_


	63. The Serpent Finale

"_**I was out on the radio starting to change**_

_**Somewhere out in America**_

_**It's starting to rain**_

_**Can you tell me all the things you remember about me?**_

_**And have you seen me lately?"**_

**Have You Seen Me Lately(Counting Crows "Recovering the Satellites")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**The Serpent Finale**

The city of Townsville, where hardworking citizens worked day to day realizing the potential of an early to rise mentality. However, there was one little girl who woke up before even the earliest of early birds. Little Blossom stood in a searing hot shower, staring at the floor and blinking sleep from her eyes. With a stifled yawn, she resumed lathering shampoo into her long hair. This part, she thought with a frown, always took so long to get done right.

**"So what, exactly, are you planning, Blossom?"** Aku asked. The demon was seated on the toilet, absentmindedly playing with Blossom's secret Devil Blossom doll. He tugged on her bow, glancing at Blossom's blurry silhouette.

"It's...complicated. We need some excuse to go to Japan, right?" Aku shook his head, tracing the outline of Devil Blossom's face.

**"Not exactly...the Soul Collector was sealed in the deep pits of the Underworld,"** Blossom nodded, yawning again and rinsing her hair.

"Right, that's what I meant. But Japan is our excuse, right? To visit your family," That was the gist of the plan anyway. Blossom and Baku would find a reason to travel to Japan for a few days to spend some time with his "mother", Ikra. In truth, they were going to release Aku's most powerful minion. There was just one problem:

**"You still have school, child. Not even you can talk your way out of that obligation,"** Blossom nodded. She couldn't just skip a week of school. Even if she could, Aku couldn't go with her. If Uka disappeared when Baku and Blossom left the country, it would set off warning bells. The heroine sighed and began to rinse the lather from her body, glancing through the translucent curtain. The dark god's flaming eyes were staring at her...tracing her. She couldn't help smiling, brushing a lock of hair back.

"You might be right, Aku. But...if everything goes as planned, I won't need to talk my way out of anything," Aku blinked, tightening his hold on the doll. Blossom giggled as she shut off the water, standing and drip-drying in the steam. No, not if everything went as planned. When her plan was complete, school would be a non-issue.

* * *

Things were going smoothly, at least, as smoothly as they ever did in Mr. Uka's first grade class. The human children cowered in fear, the more noble of the three superpowered children frothed in rage, and Blossom's ever vigilant, sincerely-sweet smile seemed unbreakable.

"Now, as you can see, the subject and verb do not agree. Who has the correct form for Uka?" The Japanese Elder Monster stalked his domain, eying the panorama of expressions, searching for the weakest link. It would be too easy to call on one of the brighter children; it would be unacceptable to even give them a chance to shimmer.

No. The greatest knowledge came from defeat, not from victory.

"You! Smarmy child, do you have an answer?" The child, a blonde girl named Maria stared in horror into his blood red eyes. The doodles decorating her notebook were the only answer Uka needed. He crossed his arms, unblinking, unmoving, waiting for an answer that would never come.

"I...well...um...it..." No matter how she stammered, or how she tried to look away, Uka-sensei's gaze never faltered. Her eyes began to water, her lip began to tremble. She was saved by the sudden ringing of the bell. It was time for lunch. In an almost practiced unison, the children jumped to their feet.

"SIT! You will remain in Uka's classroom until this child provides his answer," That was all it took, Maria began to cry.

"I don't know! I'm sorry, I don't know the answer!" There was a chorus of groans and whispered hints. Someone even outright said the answer. Uka-sensei was like a gargoyle. The minutes ticked by, the classroom filling more with the sound of hostile whispers, sneaky answers, and one little girl's uncontrollable sobbing.

After nearly five minutes, the class on the verge of a riot, Blossom cleared her throat. Uka-sensei glanced at her, his eyes narrowed.

"Yes, Blossom?" Blossom smiled, a sweet, helpful smile.

"The problem is that the noun is singular and the verb is plural. If you change 'run' to 'ran', then it's correct," Uka-sensei smiled and chuckled, returning to the board.

"Very well done, Blossom. That is correct. Young...Marissa was it?"

"Maria..." Her reply was promptly ignored.

"You would do well to pay attention in the future," Maria nodded and with a gesture, Uka-sensei set the students free in a stampede. When the dust cleared, there was a single student left, leaning on her desk and giggling. Blossom sighed and floated up behind Uka-sensei, leaning against his shoulder.

"Uka-sensei...you can be such a monster," Uka laughed, stroking his beard. Blossom nuzzled his cheek and gave him a quick kiss before hovering to the door.

"You could say I've...**had practice, child,**" Blossom landed and casually grabbed Uka's hand. The two laughed as they exited the room, making their way to the administration office. It was on the first floor, but so far from the classrooms, it was a wonder any parent could ever find it. Boomer had joked that once he got in trouble and had to fight a troll just to get into the office. In hindsight, he had gotten in a fight with a rather large boy in the Gang Green Gang, so that wasn't much exaggeration.

"She's here now, I take it?" Uka asked, free hand shoved in his pocket. Blossom nodded, swinging their clasped hands back and forth, skipping gleefully. Uka-sensei hadn't met her other mother yet, had he? She was understandably excited. Soon, everything would fall into place.

"That's right! She's never late for a meeting. Why, I bet Principal Durry has already given her the position! She's perfect for it!" Uka chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"Yes, child, you've informed me of this many times already," He pointed out. Blossom stuck her tongue out. Uka-sensei sighed and shook his head, muttering something about immature children. The little superheroine couldn't help giggling again.

Too soon, they reached their destination, the administration office. The large wooden doors had glass panels that let anyone see the lobby inside. Behind the reception desk was a middle-aged, overweight woman with a questionable haircut and arguable fashion sense. When the two entered, she glanced up, flinching visibly at the sight of Uka-sensei.

"M...Mister Uka, how...nice. Um, how can I help you?" Uka-sensei watched as Blossom hopped into a nearby seat, kicking her legs and staring eagerly at the door to Principal Durry's office. Dr. Elise had met with the principal almost three hours ago. Their meeting had apparently not ended yet, and the principal had stopped taking all calls about three minutes after the meeting started. The staff was notably worried at this point.

"Blossom wished to see the doctor when her meeting with Miss Durry was over," Blossom nodded, trying to avoid using her X-Ray vision to spy on the meeting. Though she'd assured Dr. Elise it would go alright, she had also sworn she wouldn't interfere. No, those two needed to sort out their differences on their own, without any kind of divine intervention.

"Um...yes...please have a seat...if you'd like of course," Uka-sensei and the receptionist made eye contact. When the teacher refused to move, or blink for that matter, Ms. Tanner quickly went back to pretending she had some kind of important work to do. Uka-sensei watched her, inwardly grinning as the sweat broke out on her brow and her hands began to tremble. Blossom could almost hear Aku laughing maniacally, enjoying her fear.

Then, so suddenly Blossom almost jumped, the door to the principal's office opened. There was a slight hesitation, but then Principal Durry appeared. At close inspection, Blossom could see faint red rims around her eyes. She could swear she heard a slight quiver in Miss Durry's voice when she said, "I think we can work something out,"

And there she was, at long last: Doctor Irena Elise. Blossom had always thought she was pretty, even if the doctor disagreed. Maybe it was vanity by association, but the doctor's auburn bob cut had this elfin, playful quality to it. It helped that her bright green eyes were always sparkling, their helpful, knowledgeable light only just masking a glimmer of mischievousness. The freckles on her cheeks, Blossom thought, just completed the doctor's spunky, playful, but beautiful image.

"I'm really glad I got to see you again, Annie," Dr. Elise said, the receptionist when she and the principal shared a brief hug. Miss Durry, just as surprisingly, smiled and patted her on the shoulder.

"So am I, Rena," There was a subtle smile exchanged between the two, one Blossom caught as she rushed over to greet them.

"Doctor Elise! Hi!" The doctor dropped to her knees, scooping the little girl into a warm, tight embrace.

"Oh, Blossom, Sweetie! It's so good to see you! How are you doing today?" Blossom returned the embrace, burying her face in the older woman's shoulder. She loved these moments...they were so few and far in between these days.

"I'm doing great! I'm so excited, I finally get to introduce you to Uka-sensei! See? Here he is!" Dr. Elise stood up, making eye contact with the monstrous teacher. There was a moment, just a moment, of electricity between them before the doctor beamed and approached him with an outstretched hand.

"Uka-san! Blossom had told me so much about you! It's just wonderful to meet you in person!" Uka-sensei shook her hand, a smile playing at the corner of his lips.

"That, Doctor, I do not doubt. Blossom speaks most highly of you as well," The little girl in question blushed and nodded, grabbing their free hands.

"How did the meeting go? Did you get the job?" Principal Durry laughed, half-heartedly shooing the group toward the door.

"Now, Blossom, that is a very private matter. You'll know soon enough, won't you?" Blossom smiled, catching a glimpse of Principal Durry's subtle wink. If she looked close enough, she swore her lips were moving. She was saying...Blossom's smile became a broad grin. She dove at Principal Durry, giving her a crushing hug.

"You have to hire her, Principal Durry! She'll do an amazing job, I just know it!" There was some hesitation, but then the principal returned Blossom's forced hug, giving her a tiny squeeze.

"I'll see what I can do," She whispered, pulling away with a smile shared by Dr. Elise; a telling smile. Blossom beamed.

"I know you'll make the right decision!" The grown ups laughed, parting ways. Dr. Elise joined Uka-sensei and Blossom, walking back to the classroom. Shortly after they were away from the office, Blossom turned to Dr. Elise.

"So, it looks like you and Miss Durry made up, right?" The doctor bit her lip and smiled, a faint blush on her cheeks.

"It's...a work in progress. But, you were right," Dr. Elise laughed, giving Blossom's hand a little squeeze, "Of course you were right, you are the Perfect Little Girl, aren't you?" Blossom closed her eyes, letting her grin through briefly.

"This facility is under our control...but how does this solve our dilemma, child?" Blossom opened her eyes, giving Uka-sensei the most sincere smile.

"Don't worry so much, Uka-sensei. Everything will work itself out, right, Doctor?" Dr. Elise glanced at her watch and sighed. They had reached the classroom, but...

"Well, I'm going to be late. It was great seeing you, Blossom. Promise you'll keep doing your best?" Blossom nodded, hugging her mentor one last time.

"Always!" Dr. Elise smiled and was gone. Uka-sensei crossed his arms and looked Blossom over. He raised one suddenly flaming eyebrow.

"What are you planning, child?" Blossom turned to him, only responding with another smile.

* * *

It was one-thirty in the afternoon, November 9th, 2001, when it happened. The class of A11-21 was hard at work on a history assignment, when there was a brief tremor. It was short, subtle, almost as if it never happened. But to a few members of the class, it was clear as day. Bubbles sat up straight, biting through her eraser. Buttercup tensed up, cracking her pencil as she clenched her fist. Blossom looked up from the book she was reading, her assignment long since done. The teacher, Uka-sensei, turned, almost immediately, to Blossom, an eyebrow raised.

"Did you feel that?" Bubbles asked, breaking the silence. Buttercup nodded, hovering out of her seat. Blossom slowly closed her book and slid away from her desk. There it was again! Another tremor, but this one stronger than the last. Bubbles swallowed nervously, hovering over to join her sisters. Now, the other students were growing nervous. A panicked whisper broke out.

"Shh! Quiet...listen..." Buttercup hushed her classmates, looking around the room. There was another tremor, one that actually shook the desks. Then...everything grew silent. That was when the Powerpuff Girls felt it. A distant, familiar power. It was growing greater with every second, getting closer...it was...

"DUCK!" Bubbles tackled her sisters out of the air just as a wave of green light exploded through the wall, turning everything it touched to stone. The students screamed and scrambled back, hiding behind their desks and staring in horror at the monster slithering into the classroom.

"Why hello there, girls...it's been a while," Buttercup grimaced, standing uneasily.

"S-Sedusa..." The snake-lady cackled, her hair writhing around her while the rest of her long body slid into the room. Behind her, Uka-sensei's eyes lit up. He took one look at Blossom before rising to his full height.

"Leave this place at once," He muttered, his eyes gleaming. Sedusa casually turned away from the Powerpuff Girls to face the monster, her eyes glowing.

"You must be Mr. Uka...it's such a pleasure to finally meet a monster of your...caliber," Uka-sensei remained steadfast as she approached, her tongue darting between her ruby red lips.

"You will not harm my students, leave now," Sedusa's grin grew, the Chemical X aura surrounding her intensifying to dangerous levels.

"I didn't come for you, but don't worry, I've got all the time in the WORLD!" Sedusa lashed out at Uka-sensei, missing him by inches as her claws tore apart his desk. Uka-sensei thrust out his hand, unleashing a torrent of flames that should have incinerated the snake. But, Sedusa was too fast! She quickly dodged and lashed out again, a blast of noxious green light tearing through the white board.

"Everyone stay back! Use your brains for once and do not put yourselves at risk!" Uka-sensei's orders were stopped short by a blow that knocked him back. Sedusa lashed out with impossible speed, landing blow after blow on the teacher. Uka-sensei regained his balance and caught her claws. Knocking her off balance, he flung the snake-beast out of the room, into the hallway.

"She is more powerful than I anticipated," He muttered. A scream came from the hallway and another wave of green light fired into the classroom, tearing the linoleum floor and shattering the fluorescent lights. Uka-sensei barely had time to cover his eyes before taking the full brunt of the attack. The wave sent him skidding back, colliding with the wall, shattering the windows. Sedusa flew into the room, hissing gleefully. Uka-sensei's arms had been turned to stone!

"UKA-SENSEI!" Blossom screamed, ready to fly into the fray. Uka-sensei shook his head, his arms becoming encased in red light. In a flash, they were back to normal. But now, now power poured from Uka-sensei's eyes and mouth, a ruby red light that singed everything it touched.

"You...you will pay for this," He muttered, before unleashing a massive ray of light from his eyes. It collided with a second green blast from Sedusa's and the students found themselves blinded. Through the smoke and haze they could hear it, though, the sound of battle. A sound they'd become too familiar with. Sedusa crashed into a desk near the Powerpuff Girls, hissing and diving away from another blazing swipe from Uka-sensei. Great black wings had spread from his back, his fingers had turned to long, razor-like claws.

"Your true form?" Sedusa asked. Uka-sensei opened his blazing red eyes and grinned, his fangs twice their original size.

"But one of many. Now...PREPARE YOURSELF!" In a flash, he was at Sedusa, ruby red arcs of light following each of his frantic, powerful blows. To everyone's shock, Sedusa met him attack for attack, blow for blow. With another scream, she launched him away. The sickly glow surrounding her began to intensify. She cackled as whatever wounds Uka-sensei had caused suddenly vanished.

"Silly little monster! You don't even know true power! Let me show you TRUE POWER!" Sedusa launched at Uka-sensei, driving him through the wall into the next classroom. Already alarms and sirens were going off. Security personnel rushed through the building, securing the classrooms and desperately searching for the monsters. The Hotline sprang to life, as did the girls' communicators. Buttercup climbed to her feet and answered, glaring at Dexter.

"What is it Boy Genius, we're in the middle of something!" she shouted.

"I'm well aware! I'm en route to your location! Keep the fight contained until I get there!" The image vanished. A cloaked figure pushed through the rubble and approached the kids. A few of them screamed, but a soothing voice came from the debris.

"Relax everyone! It's just me! What's going on?" Molly Beware practically threw herself at Mr. Green, sobbing uncontrollably. Blossom pulled Bubbles away from a stray blast of light from the fight across the hall.

"Sedusa attacked us! We don't know why but...Uka-sensei is fighting her! It..." Blossom trailed off, biting her lip. Mr. Green nodded, patting Molly on the back and climbing to his feet.

"Right, I understand. Girls, you should go help Uka-san, I'll stay here to protect the others," He said. The girls nodded, Bubbles and Buttercup dashing off into the fray. Mr. Green caught Blossom before she could get away. She looked at him in confusion.

"Be careful, remember what happened before," Blossom nodded, then dove into the fight. And what a fight it was! Uka-sensei was in his full demon form, wings spread, claws glowing, teeth shining. With every attack, he hurled waves of cutting red light at the snake, who managed to dodge every one and return fire, somehow growing stronger with every second!

"Uka-sensei! Let us deal with her!" Buttercup ordered, taking a wild swing at Sedusa. She yelped, only barely dodging a blast of light that would have turned her into a statue. Uka-sensei sneered and flexed his claws.

"That will not be necessary, go back to your sea-" Sedusa caught the group off guard with another vicious assault. In an unexpected display, Uka-sensei dove into the path of the attack, her razor claws piercing his back. Blossom stared in horror at Uka-sensei. He had taken the attack to protect her.

"I...I'm...Uka-sensei..." Uka-sensei turned around catching another blow that pierced his chest. The Powerpuff Girls stared in shock. Despite everything that had happened...somehow they'd always imagined Uka-sensei was invincible.

"Just...survive...Blossom," Uka-sensei roared and unleashed a blinding wave of red energy from his mouth, consuming Sedusa and crashing through the upper two floors of the building, incinerating them instantly. His energy spent, Uka-sensei fell to the ground, clutching his chest.

"No! I'll save you!" Blossom gasped, looking into the smoke just to see a slithering form approaching.

"Isn't that adorable? You can't even fight your own battles anymore...such a pity," Blossom growled, waves of light pouring from her body. Her bracelet began to sizzle.

"No, don't! We'll handle her!" Buttercup rammed into Sedusa, saving Blossom from a blow that may have proved fatal. She had no chance to continue her assault, though, as the snake vanished almost instantly, cackling wildly as she disappeared into the next floor. There was a rush of air and the Powerpuff Girls were joined by the Rowdyruff Boys.

"What the heck is going on! Was that Sedusa!" Brick cried, surveying the scene. Blossom knelt next to Uka-sensei, her fists clenched, her teeth grinding. Boomer touched her shoulder as gently as he could, but even then...it was like touching a piece of iron.

"I'll kill her! I'll kill her for hurting him!" She cried, jumping to her feet. Butch cut her off, keeping her from flying into a losing battle.

"Knock it off! You're useless, Your Highness!" He barked, shoving her back to the ground easily. Bubbles hovered over to Blossom, glancing at Uka-sensei and frowning.

"Don't say that, Blossom..." Blossom couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks.

"If he dies, I won't ever forgive myself! He did that to save me! I'm going to get her! I will stop Sedusa!"

"You're just going to get in the way! Stay put, Red!" Brick spat. Buttercup glared at him, but then nodded and looked at Blossom.

"You can't fight her, sis. Let us deal with Sedusa," Blossom shook her head, her hair a wild mess.

"No! I'm going to kill her!" Without another word, she charged into the second floor, the rest of the team close on her heels.

"Not smart!" The moment the six entered the next room they were met with a blast that knocked them to the ground. Sedusa was grinning wildly, her body coursing with power greater than anything they had imagined. Her hair stood on end, shattering anything it lashed out at. Her eyes were like miniature, poisonous green suns.

"Who...who gave you that Chemical X, Sedusa?" Buttercup asked, the first back to her feet. Sedusa cackled, flexing her claws. One lash of her tail sent Buttercup through the wall.

"That isn't important now! Now...you precious little children only need concern yourselves with DYING!" For a moment, Blossom was sure they were about to die. When Sedusa's eyes lit up and the light came careening at them, she swore her life flashed before her. That was, until she opened them to a wall of solid black.

"That's quite enough. Now, I've not used these powers in years, but rest assured. I am not afraid to use them to defend my students," That voice...it was Mr. Green. His cape billowing in that imaginary wind—was that caused by his power, she wondered—his good eye gleaming, he looked more monstrous than ever before. Somehow, even more frightening than their darkest fears.

"The Dark Warlock...hopefully you put up more of a fight than the old crock!" Sedusa tore through Mr. Green's wall of darkness, only for her blows to be blocked by smaller, personal black shields. Mr. Green's eye lit up and a concussive force threw Sedusa back, taking out another wall.

"If that is your decision, then I won't hold back!" In a flash, he was gone. In another flash a wall of fire fell upon the room, consuming the snake. Sedusa rose up from the fire, snarling and lashing out at the warlock. Mr. Green blocked one of her attacks, but wasn't prepare for just how powerful her tail was. The attack knocked him into his own fire. He melted into the flames rising up as a shadowy silhouette. It roared and lashed out at Sedusa with pillars of darkness. Every blow drove her backward, but seemed incapable of even piercing her ultra-super strong skin.

"We have to help, get in there, Butch! Boomer!" The Rowdyruff Boys joined the fight, quickly turning the tide against Sedusa's favor. Blossom pulled Bubbles to her feet, horrified to see that her sister's legs had turned to stone.

"No! Bubbles! But...oh no...are you okay?" Bubbles whimpered and rolled over, holding her waist.

"It hurts so much...ugh...I can't...feel my legs..." Blossom swallowed back more tears, and kissed her sister on the cheek.

"It'll be okay, I'll get this fixed! Just hang in there!" Blossom carefully picked up Bubbles, watching as Mr. Green hit the wall near her.

"Ugh! She's...so powerful, is that what Chemical X really is?" He muttered. Mr. Green held out his hand and the shadows devoured Bubbles, pulling her from Blossom's arms.

"What? No!" Mr. Green waved off her concerned, climbing to his feet.

"It's alright...she's safe now. Where is Buttercup?" Blossom shook her head. She hadn't seen her other sister. She could only pray she hadn't been turned to stone as well. There was a hideous scream and another blast of light. Butch hit the ground, a deep gash across his chest. Brick and Boomer were quick to follow, equally scarred by the monster's vicious attacks.

"How is she so powerful?" Blossom wondered, trying to find some kind of opening in her defenses. Unfortunately, Sedusa seemed to be so powerful, she could just shrug off any attack they threw at her! Even as Mr. Green unleashed a crackling blast of darkness, it seemed to only be able to match her noxious blasts, but not overcome them.

"This is impossible! No! Mr. Green!" She had been so lost in her thoughts, Blossom hadn't seen one of the blasts heading her way. Mr. Green appeared in front of her, taking the full force of the attack. That meant...when the light cleared, the kindly teacher had been completely turned to stone!

"No...Uka-sensei, Mr. Green...ugh..." Blossom climbed to her feet. Her bracelet began to spark again as her eyes lit up. Pulsing waves of uncontrollable energy began to wash over the burning room. Sedusa giggled, licking the blood from her claws.

"At long last...alone with the fallen Goddess. Come now, Blossom, you know you can't win," Blossom grit her teeth and prepared herself. If she could overwhelm her bracelet, if she could return to her full power, she knew she could stop Sedusa.

"Knock it off! I said, I'd...deal with her!" Buttercup landed in front of Blossom, her skin suddenly alight and her eyes brighter. Buttercup had ascended to a higher level of power. But...was it enough?

"Bubbles is hurt...she's after me for some reason! I can't risk you too, Buttercup!" Buttercup growled and clenched her fists.

"If she's after you, that's even more reason for me to not let her fight you!" Buttercup charged at Sedusa, landing a devastating blow that knocked her through the floor. The Rowdyruff Boys had recovered and joined the fight again. Blossom swallowed and looked around. The building was burning...it was creaking. Almost, as if on cue, there was a loud bang and the roof caved in.

Blossom smashed the floor and pulled the statue of Mr. Green to safety with her. At the rate the fight was going, the school was going to be completely destroyed. Blossom looked through the smoke and fire. It was an uneven fight, but even then, Sedusa seemed unstoppable. Boomer dove at her, attacking with his usual, relentless, confusing kind of combat: punches and kicks in unreadable combination, a cacophony of energy weapons used at a million miles an hour, and explosive blows that, even now, she didn't fully understand. Somehow, Sedusa was able to ignore him, focusing her efforts on tearing down Butch. The green ruff was known for his defense and resilience. And it did well to protect him. Slash after slash was mitigated by his green shields, but even Blossom could see he was weakening under the pressure.

Brick, his own fighting style a collection of energy blasts, was hovering around the fight trying with all the might they allowed themselves to pierce Sedusa's defenses. Heat rays, energy blasts, everything he tried failed. As it stood, it was a war of attrition, just waiting for Butch to give in. Of the four fighting her, only Buttercup seemed capable of truly harming Sedusa. Her punches hit twice as hard, she shrugged off twice as much damage. She was using more power than the boys, that much was certain. But...just how much? Did she have enough to weather that storm?

"I can't just sit here, I have to get in there and help!" Sedusa suddenly threw her head back and roared. A shrill, earth-shattering sound that drove her attackers to their knees. With a simple backhand, she finished Butch off, knocking him aside like a rag doll. When the others came in to attack her, she screamed again, driving them to the ground. Just as easily, she knocked Brick out with bash from her tail. Before Boomer could recover, he was lit up in green light and dropped to the ground, turned completely to stone.

"No...no not Boomer too...please...not Boomer..." Blossom fell to her knees, staring at the carnage. How were they losing to Sedusa? How...how had it come to this? The Meta-Human Regulation...it was their fault! They were holding them back! With the restrictions on their power, they couldn't even touch her! The...the law they were trying to uphold was what was making them lose!

"Buttercup! Stop fighting fair! Use all of your power! You have to!" Buttercup groaned and climbed to her hands and knees. Sedusa hovered over her, giggling madly. She leaned over Buttercup and screamed, driving her back to the ground. Every time the hero tried to get up, another scream drove agonizing nails through her head, forcing her down.

"Buttercup!"

"How pathetic...the world's greatest hero? What a...waste..." Sedusa screamed again as her eyes lit up in green light. She was going to finish her off. She was going to kill Buttercup. At least, she would have, were it not for a burst of electromagnetic force. Sedusa fell back into the flames, staring around for the attacker.

"Who was that? Show yourself!" A new figure appeared through the smoke. One...just a bit taller than the Powerpuff Girls themselves.

"Prepare yourself, evil-doer! You do not stand a chance against-" There was another electromagnetic pulse that blew Sedusa into the room Blossom was cowering in, "Dex-Star! Boy of Wonder!" It was Dexter! Wearing a black power suit of some kind...Blossom shook her head. That wasn't important. What was important was that he had saved Buttercup! Sedusa rose up, glancing at Blossom, then back at Dexter. She hissed and took a deep breath. Dexter reached for his earpiece and flipped a switch. As Sedusa screamed, a bubble appeared around Dexter, completely mitigating the sonic waves.

"You'll need a new trick, Sedusa! Now eat plasma!" Dexter stretched his hands out, both armbands shifting into menacing looking cannons. There was a loud whining sound as energy built up in the barrels...but then...BOOM! With a sickening flash, Sedusa was knocked back by a massive plasma burst. How was Dexter managing to cause more damage than her sisters?

"Of course..." She watched the two fight, a far more even battle than any the others had put up. Uka-sensei would have overpowered her, no doubt, had he not taken the blow to protect Blossom. The same could be said for Mr. Green. But the kids? They were held back by the Meta-Human Regulation Act! Dexter...as a Coordinating Officer, he wasn't bound by the same regulations, he could use most of his power!

"You annoying, pompous little BRAT! I'm going to enjoy KILLING YOU!" Sedusa managed to snatch Dexter by his leg and slammed him into the ground, again and again. Dexter groaned weakly, flipping a switch that released an electrical burst to get free. Still, Sedusa had done her damage. By the time he had recovered enough to react, she was on him. Another switch and a new shield appeared, protecting him from her strikes. But...it left Dexter with no possible offensive. All of his systems were pooled trying to protect against her assault.

"He can't win...not at this rate, she's just too powerful!" Dexter grinned, managing to open one eye through the strain.

"I think it's time we finish this!" With a flip of switch on his gloves, Dexter arched his back and threw his hands forward. Suddenly, the kinetic energy that had been building up from Sedusa's attacks fired outward, exploding in the supervillian's face. The force was enough to cause the first floor of the building to start collapsing.

"Dexter! Get Butter-" Blossom was cut off by a massive force colliding with her. It didn't stop there, though, the force pushed her into the ground: and through it! Soon the two were plummeting through stone and steel, before exploding into the school's basement. Blossom groaned and tried crawling to her knees. Sedusa grabbed her and hurled her backward. The Powerpuff girl hit the wall and slid to the ground, trying to open her eyes.

"I'm tired of these games. I came for you, and only for you. Nothing is going to stop me! Nothing!" Blossom climbed to her feet, gasping for air. She couldn't die here. Not like this, not to her. No...she had to fight, even if it meant breaking all the rules. Even if it meant...Blossom closed her eyes and stood up straight, reaching deep within herself, reaching for the massive well of power being held back.

"What are you doing? Why...why are you glowing like that?" Blossom's bracelet began to sizzle and spark. She opened her eyes and glared at Sedusa. In the dark, Blossom was the brightest light. The fire in her eyes was scorching. Sedusa slithered back, gasping when she hit the boiler.

"I'm tired of these games too, Sedusa! I'm going to end this once and for all!" Sedusa gasped.

"Wait! Don't!" Blossom screamed and fired her heat rays. The blasts collided with Sedusa, launching her into the already stressed boiler. The chain reaction was instantaneous.

The basement erupted in a great fireball that poured into the sky, consuming what remained of Townsville Elementary.


	64. Not Where, or When, But How

"_**Vacation's what I wanna do**_

_**Party on the beach,**_

_**Fun for me and you!**_

_**We don't need a holiday, it's time to celebrate!**_

_**Repeat after me: I need a vacation,**_**"**

**Vacation (Vitamin-C "Pokemon: The First Movie")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 29**

Two days had passed since the fight. Townsville Elementary was a charred pile of rubble, quickly wrapped up in the typical post-apocalyptic reconstruction that Townsville had grown famous for. But even then, with the best construction crews in the country, it was going to be some time before class resumed for the students. Hopefully, it would be enough time.

Blossom laid back on her bed, watching the ceiling fan turn round and round. Her window was cracked open slightly letting in the chilly late Autumn air. Her door was tightly shut, but with enough focus she could hear the voices downstairs. Truth be told, she was getting frustrated with all of the red tape she had to go through just to sneeze nowadays. As difficult as the fight with Sedusa had been, dealing with General Adkinson was proving twice as aggravating.

"This is inexcusable," he said for the seventeenth time. The General hadn't taken their report of the attack well. How could a meta-human, one who had previously not even made the most-wanted list, have taken out Townsville's entire defense force before dying to someone who was supposed to be powerless? Blossom took a deep breath and sighed, closing her eyes.

She'd need to go downstairs soon.

'Why didn't I think this through?' She asked herself for the hundredth time. When she woke up, after the battle, things had been a mess. She groaned and ran her mitts through her hair. What had she been thinking? Was she even thinking?

* * *

_Blossom groaned, finally regaining some kind of consciousness. She struggled to open her eyes, but what little she could see let her know it was pointless. Everything was pitch black. She tried to move, but a sharp pain shot through her. She couldn't move...she was...buried? If she tried maybe she could...no, she was too weak to use her heat rays._

_ 'Is anyone out there? Someone?' She tried to move again, only to have another wave of pain slice through her like a knife. There was...something wedged in her side. Aku only knew just how much weight was pressing down on her. Anyone less powerful...they'd have been crushed under the weight of the entire building._

_ 'Not that I'm faring much better...' she thought bitterly. How was she supposed to get free? She couldn't focus, not with that pain in her side. Just how badly was she injured? She couldn't move enough to know if anything was broken. Blossom went limp, a stray tear trickling from the corner of her eye. For a genius, she could be really stupid sometimes. Blast her into the boiler? So stupid!_

_ 'If I could just,' Blossom arched her back, ground her teeth and struggled to lift the stone away from her. Nothing budged, but when she relaxed again she felt new pain and her back felt warm and sticky. 'I'm bleeding...' she thought. The good news was, as long as she didn't move, it didn't hurt. Not moving, of course, meant there was no way out. Blossom took as deep a breath as she could manage, then collapsed._

_ Just as she was starting to drift off to sleep again, the rubble around her began to stir. After what must have been hours alone in the dark, Blossom saw a splinter of light tear across her vision, like a trickle of water. She winced and groaned, cracking one eye open. Her heart fluttered seeing the light. Someone was coming to rescue her! Maybe Boomer, or Mr Green, or...Blossom felt her cheeks heat up._

_ "A..k-k...Ak...Aku..." her voice was scratchy and her throat sore. She tried to help, tried to lift the rock. The pain in her side intensified and blood trickled down her waist. She didn't give up, though. She could see the light, and she wasn't going to give up yet. The crack in the darkness widened and more rocks were thrown away. She gasped and fell backward painfully when the full brunt of the sunlight hit her face. All she could manage was a tiny whimper._

_ "Blossom? There you are! Hang on!" That voice...she didn't...no...it couldn't be. Blossom felt someone take her hand—he was wearing gloves—and help her sit up. "You may feel a momentary sting, just stay calm," That voice, it was!_

_ "AH!" Blossom screamed as her side erupted in pain. Her savior threw aside the rock that had impaled her and pressed his hand against the wound._

_ "I said relax, girl! You'll be fine!" Blossom slowed her breathing, letting him cradle her and pull her out of her stone prison._

_ "I found her!" He shouted back to the others. Blossom swallowed and looked up, squinting to get a good look at him._

_ "Thanks, Dexter..." she muttered. The boy genius nodded and darted back to the others._

* * *

The arguing downstairs was escalating, she noticed. Blossom climbed out of her bed and began to wander around the room in a daze, running her hand absentmindedly through her hair. She wasn't ready to go down yet...she was still trying to figure out how she was going to explain everything.

"I should have thought this through, I'm supposed to be the smart one!" she chastised herself. Blossom stopped to look at herself in her mirror. Her stringy hair, the bags under her eyes, she was a mess! But, there was a part of her that just hadn't wanted to get out of bed. She had excuses, of course, such as injuries, no real responsibilities, and a lack of sleep; they were just excuses, though. Even if she was jumping through mental hoops to solve her dilemma, Blossom felt fine.

Better, it seemed, than the General thought she should. That argument was coming up again. How could a near-powerless meta-human recover so quickly? Well, the Professor explained again, her powers grew uncontrollably stronger when her life was in danger. Yes, yes, Blossom thought, she'd heard this argument three times in the last hour.

Blossom grabbed a fresh set of clothes and sneaked out of her room, slipping into the bathroom. They were going to come get her eventually, and a shower would probably help her think. She made sure to lock the door as she cranked the hot water all the way up and waited. Blossom sighed and held her side. It was a stupid mistake, that was for sure. She should have waited, but...

* * *

_ The group sat on the outskirts of the wreckage, watching the firefighters rush around looking for any possible survivors. Thankfully, it seemed most everyone had escaped the building before the explosion took it. Blossom was laying on the ground, taking slow, deep breaths while Dexter sat next to her, treating the long tear in her side. At the other side of the clearing, Butch was stretching and trying to get his body to move correctly. Apparently, it was an after-effect of being turned to stone because next to him, Bubbles was trying to kick feeling back into her legs._

_ "How long was I down there?" Blossom croaked. Dexter brushed sweat away from his brow and looked up. Buttercup was rushing around in a panic, trying to help the firefighters. Brick was crawling around in the rocks, like Dexter had been before. He had a radio and was talking with Agent Honeydew. The Global Security agent was meeting with the acting police chief. Blossom noticed that she seemed to be growing increasingly frustrated with her cell phone._

_ "It has been three hours since the explosion, Buttercup insisted we drop everything to find you," Dexter finally explained. Blossom groaned and tried to sit up, only to be forced back down by her C.O._

_ "I'm fine..." she insisted, again trying to sit up. Again, he forced her back to the ground. Were she not feeling so weak, she'd have been angry._

_ "I'm sure you'll recover, but I must insist you remain still to make it quicker," He explained. Blossom felt a searing heat on her side and flinched. Then, just as quickly, it was over. "There, that should stop the bleeding. I must say, Miss Utonium, I am impressed with your resilience," Blossom finally sat up, with Dexter's help. He gently laid her up against a somewhat sturdy piece of stone._

_ "What do you mean?" She whispered. Her throat was so sore...Dexter seemed to notice, taking a canister from his side and holding it to her lips._

_ "Here, drink this," He said. Blossom nodded and gratefully accepted a few sips. Dexter wiped a dribble of water away from Blossom's cheek and capped the canister. "My apologies, what I meant was...the amount of damage you had to have sustained, given your power limit..it's quite impressive that you managed to survive," he pointed out. Blossom chuckled._

_ "I guess so...I hate to admit it, but that wasn't my smartest idea," She sighed and shook her head, wincing and rubbing her neck, "Ow...next time, I won't shoot someone into a stressed boiler, I promise, sir," she said with a tired grin. Dexter chuckled and peered at her over his glasses._

_ "I would hope not...but, I am grateful you were able to deal with that woman," Dexter glanced back at the rubble, "I underestimated just how much energy I had absorbed. When I used my Reverse Kinetic Field, I..." Dexter blushed and scratched his head, "I shorted out my own suit,"_

_ Blossom blinked in confusion. As the realization slowly dawned on her, she began to giggle. Before too long, she fell over, only a brief moan of pain breaking her wild laughter. Dexter chuckled and looked away, still blushing._

_ "Yes, well...ahem...I need to meet with Agent Honeydew. Will you be alright?" He asked. Blossom pulled herself back up and sighed, nodding._

_ "I think so," She assured him. Dexter nodded, trying to hide his shock. It, unfortunately, didn't go unnoticed by the Powerpuff girl._

_ "Stay out of trouble, I'll let Buttercup know you're doing well," Blossom nodded and watched him go._

* * *

Seconds ticked by and turned into minutes. The bathroom was hot, filled to the brim with steam. The only sound breaking what could have been utter silence was the sound of the water falling. Suddenly, a voice pierced the silence.

**"What do you plan to do?"**

"I haven't figured that out yet,"

**"Surely you must have something in mind?"**

"For once...I haven't thought that far ahead,"

**"Hm...that..."**

Downstairs, the argument was beginning to quiet down. They hadn't reached an agreement. How could they agree? On one side, a daughter, a sister, a friend had only tried to protect herself and her loved ones from a monster. On the other...a creature classified as a weapon of mass destruction had been unleashed, devastating an already staggering city.

"What is it?"

**"That is so unlike you, child. I am...unsure how to respond,"**

"Just believe in me,"

**"You are doubting yourself?"**

"I'm not sure what to think right now. Everything I've gone over in my head, every possible scenario...they all turn out bad for me. Bad for us. I don't...think I can rely on myself to get out of this mess. I'm in so much trouble, Aku..."

What was Blossom Utonium?

A sister or a terrorist? A citizen or a weapon? A hero or a villain?

What was she? Rather, what would they decide she was?

**"How then would my faith in you change this, if you don't believe yourself?"**

"I believe in you...and...maybe I don't believe in myself right now, but I could believe in the me you believed in,"

**"Is that wise?"**

"Maybe not...but right now, it's all I have,"

**"Very well, Aku will believe in you, Blossom,"**

* * *

It was half past four in the afternoon when Blossom finally descended the stairs to the family room. Just around the corner, she heard the heated discussion come to an abrupt end. Taking a deep breath, she brushed her hair from her face, straightened her dress and walked into the kitchen.

"The prodigal daughter finally decided to join us, hm?" General Adkinson remarked. The twitch in his eye and the flush in his cheeks let Blossom know he'd long exhausted any patience he'd set aside for this meeting. A number of responses flew to her lips, but she kept them tightly locked and merely nodded, taking her spot at the only vacant seat.

Professor Utonium, Bubbles, Buttercup, Dexter and the General were all seated around the table, with the General directly across from Blossom. As soon as she sat down, Buttercup quickly grabbed her hand and gave it a tight squeeze under the table. Blossom didn't smile, but nodded subtly. The General waited for her to say something, anything, but as it became clear she wasn't going to speak, he leaned forward in his seat and fixed her with an unwavering stare.

"You know why I'm here. I'm sure you've been listening," he began. Blossom nodded, no sense arguing it, "Then you understand the mess you've caused me," he continued. Again she nodded. The General shook his head and stood up, walking over to the sink to stare out at the back yard.

"No, Blossom, I don't think you do. I don't think a single one of you understands the severity of the situation we're in now," the General's voice was low, tired, and holding back a tightly kept anger. Blossom noticed Buttercup start to respond and shook her head. Her sister begrudgingly stood down.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it. You're too smart for that, and that is something we can all agree on. Blossom Utonium, you are classified, under Section 13 of the Meta-Human Regulation Act, as a Type U-S meta-human. Do you know what that means?"

"Ultra-Super, sir," Blossom answered, lowered her eyes to the table.

"Ultra-Super, the highest classification a meta-human can receive. A classification so specific, it was made just for the three of you and the Rowdyruff Boys. Do you understand where I'm going with this, Blossom?" the general asked. Blossom shook her head, "It means the six of you aren't just powerful. You're too damn powerful. So damn powerful we had to make a special class code just to describe you,"

"What it also means, is that we have to keep the absolute strictest restrictions on the six of you. If we don't, what could happen?" before Blossom could respond, he continued, "We've seen what could happen! Your 'incident' earlier this year showed us what happens if we don't take the six of you seriously. If we don't keep you under control. Do you understand the politics we had to go through after that 'incident', Blossom?"

"Yes, sir," she responded with a murmur.

"Do you really? Did you know that practically every sovereign nation in the world wanted you dead? They didn't just want you punished, they wanted to make sure it would never happen again. And it wasn't just you. After what you did, they wanted your sisters taken care of as well. And the Rowdyruff Boys, too! Just one slip up, one moment of insanity, or brainwashing, or whatever excuse you can come up with, and suddenly we have the rest of the world demanding we get rid of all of you!"

"It wasn't her fault!" Buttercup finally screamed.

Blossom shook her head, "Sit down, Buttercup...it was my fault. I screwed up then, and I screwed up now. The reason doesn't matter. What's important is that I, an extremely powerful, extremely dangerous meta-human, screwed up and put everyone around me in danger." Blossom opened her eyes, finally meeting the General's gaze. "That's right, isn't it?"

The General sighed. He had crossed his arms and was leaning back against the sink. After a moment of pause, he nodded, "That's...the size of it. As cold-hearted as it sounds, the rest of the world just doesn't care about reasons, or excuses. They care about what they can see. And...you're right. We swung a heavy deal when we offered to simply...limit your powers the way we have. They didn't see a child who had a temper tantrum, they saw a monster and wanted it dead,"

Blossom nodded, "I understand, General," she paused, biting her lip, "I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say. I just wanted to protect my friends and my sisters from Sedusa," The General sighed and ran his hand through his short, gray hair.

"I can understand, Blossom, but, that doesn't excuse what happened. You used power that shouldn't have been there. You managed to defeat a monster that the rest of your friends and family couldn't, and they, allegedly, should be much stronger than you," he was cut off, this time, by the Professor, who cleared his throat.

"To be fair, General Adkinson, as I explained before, in dire situations where the girls may, accurately or not, perceive their lives to be in danger, biology simply takes over and they become far more powerful," The General tried to cut him off, but the Professor continued, "Yes, Blossom is wearing her Restrictor Cuff, but, you have to understand, I designed the Restrictor Cuffs two years ago as a training device, not a kind of restraint."

The Professor rose from his seat and drew their attention to a blackboard that had been positioned next to the kitchen table. It had various diagrams drawn on it, and there were numerous reports tacked to every side and corner, "As Dexter and I have pinpointed, the only time where Blossom's power rose above an acceptable level was the moment before the boiler exploded. The amount of stress she had to be under, seeing her sisters, her C.O, her mentors, her friends all hurt and defeated, and fearing for her own life, that kind of adrenaline rush isn't something the Restrictor Cuff can account for,"

The General interrupted him, "But it needs to! What's to stop her from simply overpowering it by sheer force of will?" This time, Dexter cut in.

"Actually, General, if I may, from a realistic viewpoint, the chance of Blossom, powerful and willful though she may be, simply concentrating the bracelet to uselessness is possible, but so implausible it's laughable!" Now Dexter jumped from his seat and pulled a report from the blackboard.

"You see, General, for the Powerpuff Girls, power suppression is a very complex process. Without outside influence, the girls need to actively force their power output, or Chemical X Radiation Levels, to lower rates. It would be like...having to flex your muscles with various degrees of force to perform a task you are simply too strong to do. This is why the Powerpuff Girls become more easily fatigued while holding back their power, their bodies are already being stressed. Blossom's Restrictor Cuff works as if every muscle in her body is being forced to flex as tightly as they possibly can, with no way for her to relax. To try to overpower the bracelet's effect is both physically and mentally draining, and painful," Dexter trailed off scratching his chin, peering over his report.

Bubbles chimed in, "Also the bracelets start to shock us if we try too hard," Dexter and the General looked incredulously at the Professor who blushed and held up his hands defensively.

"Hey, now! It's not some kind of electric shock therapy. It's actually unintentional. When the girls try to overpower the Restrictor Cuffs, they increase their own power output to put an increase strain on the girls. If they keep fighting, the bracelet will start to shock because it's being overloaded," he explained. Bubbles nodded.

"Yeah! That's what I meant," Bubbles finished. She couldn't help blushing and smiling apologetically to the Professor.

Dexter cleared his throat, "Ahem, so yes. You see, General, this unintentional shock, combined with the amount of fatigue the Restrictor Cuff induces naturally, means that for Blossom to have overcome it for even a moment, kind of adrenaline rush she'd need would have to come from an immediate threat to her life,"

"Like an exploding boiler..." the General muttered. Dexter and the Professor nodded. The General took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"This doesn't solve the problem...the reports you've sent to me, Dexter, show that Blossom is fighting against the Restrictor Cuff on a regular basis. If she has successfully overpowered it once, we have to assume she could again," he pointed out. Now it was Blossom's turn to blush. She tilted her head, causing her hair to fall over her face to hide her expression.

Dexter finally relented with a sigh, "This is...true. Since Halloween, you've put an increasing amount of stress on your bracelet, Blossom..."

"I just feel stressed, lately..." Blossom said slowly. There was an inkling of an idea in the back of her mind. If she could just... "Staying at the head of class, trying to keep up with my sisters in crime-fighting, trying to deal with bullies at school, taking my advanced courses and assignments, strict training schedules...it's just a lot to try to keep up with, and it doesn't help that I just feel exhausted all the time,"

"How can we help? What's wrong?" Buttercup asked, speaking up for the first time in a while, "It's my fault isn't it? For picking on your boyfriend?" the two made eye contact and blushed. Blossom quickly looked down and closed her eyes.

Blossom shook her head, "It's...not just that. I just...think I need a break, or..." Blossom's eyes shot open. Her heart began to pound. She struggled to keep her composure as the idea blindsided her, "I need a vacation...to relax,"

"Hm...actually..." Dexter scratched his chin and looked over his report, "That could explain why you're fighting the bracelet more often," The Professor nodded, lighting his pipe and taking a few puffs.

"Yes, for a Powerpuff girl, a state of 'rest' would actually be a far higher power than the one you're being restricted to," he explained. The General nodded.

"I understand. So, because you're feeling stressed, in trying to relax, you are subconsciously trying to increase your power level to a more 'comfortable' level." Everyone nodded in agreement.

"That...makes sense," Buttercup said. Bubbles nodded once more.

Still hiding behind her hair, Blossom spoke up, "If it would help me relax and get my power back under control...I would really like to take a vacation. My...my boyfriend mentioned that he would be going back home to Japan to visit his mother while school was out,"

There was a sharp intake of air from both Buttercup and the Professor, but the two wilted when they saw the fire in Bubbles' eyes. The blue-eyed sister took Blossom's hand and smiled brightly.

"That sounds like a great idea! You guys could spend some time together and have fun without worrying about school! Ooh, and I just know you'd love Japan, Blossom!" she began to ramble about all the fun things Blossom could do in Tokyo alone. The Professor sighed and took another puff of his pipe.

"I suppose if...it would help..." he muttered.

Buttercup stared at Blossom, her eyes twitched, her lips trying to curl into a snarl. But, with great effort and all the love in her heart, she managed to force the bile out of her throat and sighed as well.

"Is...that really what you want, Blossom? Would that make you happy?" she asked. Blossom licked her lips and nodded.

"Yeah, I think I would really enjoy a chance to get to know Ikra-san, and just...get away from Townsville," she explained. Buttercup nodded. She smiled when Blossom's hand found hers under the table. Buttercup gave it a tight squeeze and smiled.

Dexter nodded, "I have a contact in Japan, I could make arrangements, with your permission, General?" The boy genius held his report to the General, turned to a specific page. The General took the report and browsed over the highlighted section, swallowing the lump in his throat. After a moment of painful silence, he finally nodded.

"...Fine, you have my permission. We'll iron out the details, let's go Dexter," Bubbles and Buttercup cheered and gave their sister a tight hug. The Professor smiled and patted her head. He made his way to the phone in the family room. They had skipped lunch, why not do something special for an early dinner? Dexter and the General cleaned up and made their exit, saying a few goodbyes and discussing other, surely important matters.

Hidden behind her crimson veil of hair, no one saw the wicked, wild grin on Blossom's face.


	65. The Demon's Gate

"_**When all that's left to do**_

_**Is reflect on what's been done**_

_**This is where sadness breathes**_

_**The sadness of everyone**_**"**

**Dam at Otter Creek (Live "Throwing Copper")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 30**

_There were tears and smiles abound, as we stood outside security in the Townsville International Airport. I glanced over my shoulder at Baku, who looked bored with the whole ordeal. I smiled sheepishly and threw a quick wave in his direction. He rolled his eyes, but smiled._

"Now are you sure you packed everything?"

"Yes, Professor, I'm sure,"

_He'd asked me six times already, but I can't blame him. Not only was this the first time I'd be traveling outside of work-related reasons. It was also.._.

"You don't have to go, Blossom. You can just stay home and relax. I'll make sure no one bothers you!"

_It was the first time we were going to be apart. Well, the first time we were going to be apart since the incident. And this time, it was a mutually understood situation. My breath caught in my throat. I turned to my over-protective sister. The look on her face was so hopeful; she was begging me to stay._

"Buttercup...no, I have to get away from here. It's only going to be for a week, okay? Then I'll be back. And hey! When I come back, my suspension should be over, right?"

"That is correct, upon your return, you are free to resume aiding your sisters in crime-fighting,"

"I just...don't like you going away..."

_There it was. I think, somewhere deep down I knew that was the reason. But actually hearing her say it and seeing the tears forming in the corners of her eyes hit me harder than I expected. I choked down the lump in my throat and wiped my eyes as subtly as I could manage._

"...Buttercup, I'm going to come home. I promise,"

"You mean that, Blossom?"

_I turned to face my other sister. Unlike the two of us, there were no tears in her eyes. I knew I'd underestimated her in the past. But, now...the look on her face was so familiar. It was the same she'd worn after meeting Baku. The same she'd worn that night, when I came in from the storm. That concerned little stare that...somehow made me feel at ease. I felt at ease, because I know she believed me._

"Yes, Bubbles...I promise, I'll be home before you know it,"

"Okay, I hope you have fun!"

"Yeah..."

"Hm?"

_Buttercup suddenly grabbed me in a tight hug. I noticed a tear leaking down her cheek and felt the same sting in my own eyes. I quickly wrapped my arms around her and held her as tight as I could. I think it was finally setting it. We were going to be apart for an entire week. And I...I..._

"I'll miss you, Red,"

"...I'll miss you too,"

* * *

The plane jerked slightly, stirring Blossom from her daydream. She rubbed her tired eyes and yawned loudly, quickly covering her mouth when she heard her companion start laughing. She turned and glared at Baku, who only snickered and turned to look out the window again. Still sleepy, Blossom blinked and glared at him, she wondered just why she'd given him the window seat. If she remembered right, she'd asked for it.

"Enjoy your, what was that, the third nap you've taken?" Baku teased, grinning again. Blossom rubbed her eyes and looked around in a daze. Well, they were definitely still on the plane.

She yawned and stretched, "How long have we been flying?"

Baku glanced toward the ceiling and shrugged, "Probably four hours? You keep coming in and out. That tired, huh?" Blossom nodded. They still had ten hours left on the flight?

"I guess so, there's just nothing else to do. What are you doing? To pass the time, I mean," Blossom asked. Baku leaned closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She purred happily when he kissed the top of her head.

"Mostly watching you," he whispered. Blossom blushed and giggled nervously.

"Isn't that a bit creepy?" she pointed out.

Baku shrugged and kissed her again, "Well, maybe, but it's what I normally do. **Watching you sleep, creepy or not, is one of Aku's dearest pass times,"**

Blossom turned several shades of red before being able to look Baku in the eye. Just as she turned her head up, he caught her lips in a rough kiss. After a tense moment, Blossom broke the kiss, breathless, and blushing still.

"Really? You...watch me sleep?"

**"I do...there is not much else to do with my time,"** he explained. Blossom laughed and shook her head, causing her hair to fall over her face, to hide her further embarrassment.

"I can't decide if I'm flattered or not...it can't be that exciting..." she muttered.

Baku laughed, "Actually you're adorable when you're asleep!" That didn't help her embarrassment, but it did cause her heart to flutter.

"Really?"

"Yeah..." he sighed and smiled, leaning forward with his chin in his hands, "Your hair falling everywhere, your soft little snores..." Blossom was getting giddy, the grin on her face almost painful, "The way you drool," And that ruined the mood.

"What?!" she exclaimed. Baku sat up. He raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"You didn't know? You drool sometimes when you're sleeping. But usually only when you're really, really tired," he explained. Blossom stared at him with her eyes wide open. Her heart, which felt like flying before, had plummeted into her stomach.

"Oh my gosh...I'm so sorry," she moaned.

Baku laughed, "No need! It's cute, that's all," he touched her shoulder and Blossom nearly jumped. Baku sighed and threw off his seat belt, it had just been sitting on his lap, and gave Blossom a tight hug. He kissed her head again and whispered, "You shouldn't be ashamed,"

She sighed, "It's just embarrassing..."

"It's cute, it's one of the things I...**one of those little things I love most about you, child. Seeing you without your carefully constructed walls, devoid of any masks**," She faced him and returned his embrace, staring up into his eyes. His eyebrows were on fire and his fangs seemed longer.

**"I truly admire and cherish the real you, Blossom. Perhaps that is why I enjoy seeing you sleep; I can see the real girl you are, the girl I treasure most,"** he said, softly caressing her face, brushing her hair back. Blossom sniffled and smiled, burying herself in his arms.

"You need to put your eyes out," she whispered. Baku chuckled and his eyebrow flames fizzled out, and his fangs returned to normal. Blossom started to say something else, but it was cut off by a yawn, "Sorry, I guess I really am tired,"

"It's alright, you're on vacation! How about, you sleep the rest of the flight and I'll wake you up before we land?" Baku offered.

"I would but...I kind of want to stay like this," She responded with a grin. She gasped when his hand slid across her lap. She relaxed when he undid her seat belt. Without needing further instruction, she slid into his lap and snuggled into his arms.

"How's that?" he asked. Blossom sighed and closed her eyes.

"Better," she whispered before drifting back into a deep sleep. Baku sighed happily and watched her, ignoring the skyline flying by outside his window.

"Oh, sir, excuse me, but," The flight attendant fell suddenly silent when Baku looked up, his eyes on fire, horns sprouting from his head and a few razor-sharp tentacles rose from his back. She turned pale as a sheet and laughed sheepishly, "N-Nevermind, I'm sure it won't be a problem," Baku smiled as she left and returned to his normal form.

"Sweet dreams, Blossom...you'll need them," he said with a nervous laugh. Baku finally turned to look out the window. The skyline stretched as his field of vision grew. He peered through space and saw it, on the other side of the sky: the gates to the underworld. He looked back to his sleeping little goddess. She deserved to rest before facing what lay beyond that gate.

* * *

"So...you're saying we aren't actually staying anywhere near the city?" Blossom asked, looking around in confusion while she and Baku ventured further and further into the countryside. She didn't think it possible, but after hours of walking, she could only barely make out civilization in the distance.

"Yes, we should open a demon gate in the middle of the most crowded city in the modern world. I'm sure no one will notice," Baku replied sharply. Blossom glared at him, and lowered her gaze to her feet. Baku chuckled and stroked his chin, turning suddenly, "I have a home near here, where no mortal would dare go near. That is the best place to open the gate,"

After a few minutes of silence, Blossom spoke up, "You could have just said that from the beginning," she muttered. Baku scratched his head, taking another random turn.

"Perhaps, I could have," The two fell silent. They had managed to find themselves lost in a lush forest. Blossom watched in awe as birds and critters flew and scampered to and fro. The air was crisp and cool, and the sun cast beautiful shadows on the forest floor to light their path. Baku didn't seem to notice, but Blossom couldn't help smiling and enjoying the forest's beauty.

"This place is amazing, Baku,"

Baku snorted, "It's a fitting distraction. Most people won't dare go too deep into the forest,"

Blossom tilted her head in confusion, "But why? It seems so peaceful," She looked up as the two came upon an oddly positioned pair of trees, so tall they stretched into the sky. Blossom imagined they could be seen from the air. As they passed through the trees, she noticed that the air was quickly becoming cooler, almost uncomfortably so.

"We're no longer in Japan, proper, Blossom," Baku explained, "Those trees mark the gateway between the mainland and a similar, but hidden place.

Blossom looked down at her bracelet, "Won't Dexter realize I've gone missing?" Baku shook his head. His horns had grown longer, his tentacles stretched from his back and his eyes caught on fire. He was in Baku's true monster form.

"No, this place is...we'll say strange in how it behaves. We're still in Japan, just not what your people consider Japan. This part is, let's say hidden," he explained. Blossom nodded. And just like that, the forest broke into a clearing and Blossom found herself breathless.

"Oh my gosh," The lush forest came to an abrupt end. They now stood in a barren empty wasteland. The air, also, seemed to grow hotter with every step they took. At the center of the dead zone, a small house made of jagged, black stone stood. The door opened and Ikra stepped out, waving cheerfully.

"Welcome home, my little Baku! And Blossom! Sweetie, it's so good to see you!" she called. Baku rolled his eyes, while Blossom began to blush uncontrollably. It was just an extension of Aku, but she felt herself growing excited to see Ikra again.

"Ikra!" She cried, jumping into the monster woman's arms. Ikra hugged her tight and kissed her cheek.

"My little Blossom, it's been so long!" she cooed. Baku rolled his eyes and pushed passed the two.

"Mom, knock it off, you saw her a few weeks ago," He complained. Ikra sat Blossom down and the door shut behind the two as they entered the home. Inside, it was massive, beyond what Blossom had expected. It stretched skyward forever, with trails of frozen fire burning from the floor to the infinite ceiling.

"You've changed the Pit of Hate," she commented, sitting down on a soft, black couch. Blossom sighed, sinking into the cushions. Baku sat down beside her, while Ikra giggled and took a seat on her other side.

"I'm so glad you enjoyed my redecorating! I felt you deserved something special for your little vacation," she said. Baku rolled his eyes.

"Mom, we just had a long trip, maybe we could get some food, or something?" he asked. Ikra glared at him.

"I haven't seen Blossom in weeks, you could make something, you little brat," Blossom watched the argument take place between the two. The smile on her face grew to a grin, which gave way to giggles until she fell back, holding her belly and laughing. Ikra and Baku finally noticed and stopped arguing to stare at her.

"**What is it?**" they asked in unison, and in Aku's true voice.

"Why are you doing this? You're the same person!" she choked out between laughs. Ikra slid to her feet and marched to the kitchen, her chin in the air.

"What's the fun in splitting our self, if we aren't going to act the part?" she asked.

Baku nodded, "Yeah, seriously, you get to have your fun, we get to have ours. Besides, it just means there's that many more people fawning over you," he and Ikra both laughed when Blossom blushed.

"And we both know how you do so love the attention, eh, Blossom?" Ikra teased. Blossom rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Well, I guess so...it's just funny, is all," She shook her head, "You are such a weirdo," she muttered. Blossom screamed when Baku dove on her, digging his fingers into her sides. She fell over in peels of laughter while Ikra just chuckled and retreated to the kitchen.

"Surely you've learned by now, Blossom? **You cannot hope to defeat Aku, child,"** she called back with a laugh. The response was another squeal from Blossom, followed by a frantic chant of "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

* * *

As the evening quieted down, the three sat around the living room, watching the news through one of the many frozen flames on the wall. Baku sat on one end of the couch, while Ikra sat at the other end, lovingly caressing Blossom's hair. The Powerpuff girl sat in front of the couch, staring down at her wrist, her eyes narrowed.

"You haven't said a word in an hour, Blossom...are you alright, Sweetie?" Ikra asked, finally breaking the silence. Blossom sighed and looked back at the two, waving her arm.

"You told me that the Underworld isn't something I can take lightly. That I'll find demons like you. Well, maybe not as powerful, but monsters more powerful than anything in this world. How am I supposed to find and free your servant if I'm being held back by this thing? And...won't my beacon vanish? Dexter will know something is up. I just don't know how to get around this stupid thing!" she grew increasingly frustrated with each word. By the end, Blossom was pacing the room, her power fluctuating wildly, causing the bracelet to crackle and spark.

Baku caught Blossom's hand and pulled her to a stop, "You're right, there are a lot of scary things down there. But, I've been thinking about it,"

Ikra cut him off, "We've been thinking about it,"

"Alright, alright, we've been thinking about it, and we have a solution. If...it's okay with you," he asked. Blossom nodded, grabbing his hand in both hers.

"Anything! We need the servant's help, right? If we're going to make this work?" Baku and Ikra traded a glance, then nodded.

"Yes, his help will be necessary for our...ahem, plans," Ikra said with a grin. Blossom nodded and turned to Baku. She nearly screamed when she saw not Baku, but herself standing in front of her, holding her hand. Baku was standing behind this new Blossom, holding out his hands.

"Ta-da!" he proclaimed. Blossom stared into her clone's eyes. It was a perfect replica of her but...how was this going to work?

"Will this really work? I don't think I can take the bracelet off but," She trailed off. The new Blossom's arm turned solid black and melted, wrapping around her wrist. Blossom nearly screamed, but only managed a strangled gasp as she felt the bracelet's grip release on her. Other Blossom pulled her hand back and solidified it, now wearing the Restrictor Cuff.

"Like this!" she explained, "While you slept, I was studying your energy radiation, chemical make-up, and all the other details the bracelet tracks. Now, woah!" the Other Blossom's explanation fell short as the Restrictor Cuff secured and activated, suppressing her power. She stumbled to the side, fell to her knees and would have fallen face-first into the ground, had Blossom not caught her.

"Careful! The first time you wear it is pretty...intense," she said, holding her other self close.

"I'm going to throw up, I'm going to throw up...everything feels awful and oh my gosh, how do you live like this?!" Other Blossom cried, doing her best to bite back both tears and sickness. Baku and Ikra helped the two to the couch. Other Blossom laid her head on Blossom's lap and took long, deep breaths.

"You'll get used to it in a few minutes but, Aku, you should have warned me! It's not...fun, wearing that thing," Blossom cooed, petting her other self's hair. She blushed and giggled in spite of herself. In this new...strange situation, she could suddenly appreciate why everyone seemed to enjoy her hair. It really was lovely!

"I'll be okay...you need to have your full power to free the servant. I'm barred from entering the Underworld, and from what I've been able to gather, he's guarded by something nasty," Other Blossom pointed out.

Blossom turned to Ikra and Baku, "How do we open the gate?" the two aspects of Aku traded a glance.

"Do you want to go so soon?" Ikra asked. Blossom nodded.

"Are you sure? You're on vacation," Baku pleaded. Blossom nodded once more.

"You're right, I am. But the sooner I go, the sooner I can come back and the four of us can enjoy ourselves," Blossom brushed her other self's hair away from her face. It was so odd seeing her own eyes look back at her.

"And...I need this. What I need to feel better, to feel truly alive again, is to finally let go," The three aspects of Aku shuddered, seeing the distant, longing glimmer in Blossom's gaze.

"Alright, I'll open the gate," Ikra took a deep breath and screamed, releasing a pulsating black shockwave that collided with the far wall. The frozen flames shattered one by one, revealing a tall, grisly gray door stained with blood and charred by fire. The lock on the door lit up in deep red light and a hideous click was heard. Streams of light pierced the edges of the door as it began to swing open. A horrifying sound, like a poorly tuned violin, echoed through the house. The door stood open, revealing a haunting, twisted swirl of fire, leading into an infinite abyss of black.

Blossom, for the first time in a long time, was stunned. Her heart was racing in her chest, as fear shot like ice through her veins. Whatever she had expected, she hadn't been prepared to actually see the gate.

"Is it...always there?" she asked stupidly. Ikra shook her head.

"No, the cry summons the door from the nearest surface," she replied. Blossom nodded and carefully moved her other self. She rose from the couch and walked to the edge of the gate.

"Blossom, wait!" Blossom turned, and met by her other self. Other Blossom threw her arms around her neck and pressed her lips tight against hers. The kiss seemed to go on forever to the haunting sound of the demon gate. Finally, Other Blossom pulled away, blushing, "Good luck..." she whispered.

Blossom touched her lips and smiled, blushing. The fear chased from her veins and her heart now racing with excitement, Blossom nodded and walked through the demon's gate, into the Underworld.


	66. Grandmaster of War

"_**We took the dead man in sheets **_

_**To the river, flanked by love**_

_**Deep enough to dive...**_

_**Deep enough to dive...**_

_**Oh, be here now,"**_

**Dam at Otter Creek (Live "Throwing Copper")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 31**

For all her strength, Blossom couldn't help screaming as she plummeted through the tunnel of fire, sinking deeper and deeper into the seemingly endless blackness. Seconds stretched to minutes and further into hours as the heat grew more intense, and the darkness came alive. Blossom's eyes rolled back as she began to lose consciousness. Suddenly, the trip came to an end and she was dumped onto the searing, hard ground.

"Oof!" Blossom cried out, shocked to reality once more. Feeling uneasy, she carefully sat up and cradled her head in her hands. Taking long, calming breaths, she finally relaxed to the point when she could open her eyes. Taking one last deep breath, Blossom looked up and around at the Underworld.

The first thing she noticed was the sky: an infinite canvas of swirling red and black, marred by hideous splashes of deep, dark purple. It wasn't what she'd expected at all. Compared to the Earth's normal blue, this multicolored sky could almost pass as beautiful. However, instead of a sense of awe, the twisted sky filled Blossom with cold wonder. It left her feeling confused and uncomfortable. She rose gingerly to her feet and stared deeper into the sky.

Staring upward, she began to notice the sounds of the Underworld. The air itself whispered and moaned, creating a tense, low roar all around her. Occasionally, Blossom would hear a louder, more hysterical scream in the distance, or a loud, booming roar. She tore her gaze away from the sky and looked around, finally taking in her immediate surroundings.

It was a field of stone and decaying plants. The ground was hot ebony littered with cracks and splits, occasional jets of flame shooting up from below. In the less fortunate parts of the landscape, rivers of flame tore through the countryside, slowly devouring the land around them. The trees were petrified, frozen in jagged, monstrous poses. None grew too tall, perhaps also afraid of stretching too far into the air above. At least, the plants seemed afraid. The winged creatures that rushed to and fro seemed unaware of the sky's haunting cry. Without getting closer, Blossom couldn't make out the little monsters too well. There were other, larger monsters stalking the fields: one, a humanoid creature with goat legs and large black wings, another, an eyeless, canine-like creature with a mouth larger than its own body. Blossom looked passed the field and noticed a stone formation rising out over the horizon.

"Aku told me there were cities...maybe that's one of them?" She asked out loud, wandering in that direction. Aku had mentioned off-hand that he didn't know exactly where the servant was being kept. However, he suspected that one of the High Lords might know.

"The Demon High Lords..." she muttered, now entirely lost in her thoughts. There were, now, twelve High Lords. However, there was only one she really needed to concern herself with. Aku had explained that the only Demon Gate he could summon was the one that led to his own realm, Hatred. When the Samurai killed Aku, he had been locked out of his own realm, sealed on Earth. And the High Lord who had taken over Hatred was...

"The Prince of Pain and Misery...what was his name? Her name?" Blossom trailed off, arms crossed and hand at her chin. As she wandered through the lava-stricken wasteland, a dark shadow fell over her and a pair of venomous green eyes narrowed. The figure stalked closer, but the young superheroine remained lost in her thoughts. She blinked, only noticing she was being followed when she heard the ground crunch and felt a gout of flame brush passed her head.

Blossom turned and raised an eyebrow, "What's that? Oh...wow." A surge of power rushed through her veins. A monster...she hadn't fought one in earnest for so long. Would she even remember how? Blossom giggled, which seemed to catch the monster off guard. It was one of the goat men. As she stalked toward it, without a trace of fear in her eyes, the monster took a step back. It puffed up its chest and roared, belching another gush of flame toward her face. It never reached her, lost, instead, in a frigid gale as the Powerpuff girl exhaled.

Would she remember her true power? It was a stupid question. She'd never forgotten.

The demon snarled and took a swing at her. Blossom's arm shot out, snatching the monster's wrist. A horrendous snap sounded across the fields, echoed by the monster's scream. The creature took a step back, howling as it arm hung limp at its side.

Blossom shook her head, "Oh, I'm sorry...that didn't go how you planned, did it?" She giggled, taking a step toward the demon. It belched another gout of flame at her. This time she merely walked through it, a playful spark in her eyes. The monster took another swing at her. She snatched its arm and, with another flick of her wrist, snapped it. The demon fell to its knees, frantically whipping to and fro, struggling to tear free from her iron grip.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Didn't I make my point the first time?" she asked. Before it could attempt another belly full of fire, Blossom smashed her head against the monster's nose, knocking it backward. With a small grunt, she tore the monster's arm off and chucked it aside. Blossom slammed her foot against the demon's chest, forcing it against the jagged ground.

"I really expected better..." she whispered, more to herself than to mock the monster. Blossom sighed and blasted the monster with her heat rays. Its scream only lasted a moment. When she stopped, only a charred lower body remained. Though the fight only lasted a few moments, it was enough to grab the attention of every creature in the vicinity. The Powerpuff girl paid them no mind. She turned on her heel and marched off to the stone formation in the distance.

"Maybe someone there can tell me where to find the High Lord," she muttered. One of the flying monsters dove for her, screaming like a banshee. Just before the demon could strike, it suddenly split in two and fell to the ground in a spray of innards and blood.

* * *

The rocky formation, it turned out, was what remained of a city. The streets were made of frozen fire, like the Pit of Hate. Here and there the fire had unfrozen, and was spraying hundreds of feet into the air, raining ember. Buildings that must have been taller than even the highest skyscrapers back in her world had been torn apart, strewn across the wasteland. One such building had been cleaved into five segments. That was the building she'd been following for the last hour.

And the monsters. Blossom had fought many monsters in her young life, but never this many. The dog monsters had proven relentless. They roamed in packs of eight or nine, each with a massive alpha leading them. The moment even one saw her, they all pounced, slobbering and making a strange sound like a person trying to laugh while choking. Their spit, she'd discovered, was incredibly acidic, able to melt through almost anything. And, while they roamed in packs, the monsters didn't seem to have any qualms over eating their fallen comrades. In fact, it seemed to make them stronger.

Yet another hound hit the ground, its head severed through its massive, gaping mouth. The blood sank into the frozen fire, releasing a new flaming geyser from below. Blossom, her hands long soaked red, stopped in front of one of the few buildings that seemed somewhat in tact. It was small, especially compared to the others. There were strange symbols over the doorway, possibly a name for whatever business it might have been. A stone slab, from one of the other buildings, had fallen in front of the entrance.

With a heave, Blossom shoved it out of the way. A predatory scream sounded behind her. Blossom gave the flying creature only a passing glance before heading into the building. The creature's body collided with the building, falling to the ground in bloody ribbons.

"It's a library," she gasped. The shelves were crumbling, and many of the books were tattered and destroyed, but Blossom was sure of it. She took to the air, hovering over the wreckage. Most of the books were charred and torn beyond repair, but...she couldn't shake the feeling that there was at least one in tact. She rounded a corner, stepping back to avoid a massive swing from a goat man. The monster bleated and made a mad charge for her.

Not for the first time, Blossom noticed the creature's eyes. Just like the flying creatures, the goat monster's eyes were unfocused and foggy. The monster wasn't protecting itself, but she didn't get the impression it was trying to eat her either. No, what Blossom saw in the eyes of these monsters—well, the ones with eyes, that is—was utter fury. They were all furious that she even existed. They were all filled...

She smashed her fist into the creature's face, snapping its neck and dropping it to the ground, "Hatred. All of them are attacking me because they hate the sight of me," It made sense, she was in the realm of Hatred itself. "They're products of this world," Blossom thought, putting her hand to her chin, "They can't feel anything but hatred for everything. But...what about this place?" The city, the library, the books. These things were not the product of pure hatred. They were carefully constructed. They were built to honor something, or someone.

"Aku..." she whispered with a smile. Blossom gasped. She'd reached the back of the library, where a small table sat in the corner. There was a book lying on the ground next to the table. It was frayed, but it was in tact! She made a mad dive for it, scooping it up into her arms.

"Yes! This is it! Maybe...oh, I'll never be able to read it," Blossom's excitement faded as soon as it came. She hadn't been able to read the symbols on the building, what use would the book be? Blossom opened the book. Just as she suspected. The words were unknowable. She sighed and lightly touched the page. Her eyes widened and unfocused.

_The construction is nearly complete. The Sovereign of Hate is pleased as his excellence can be with the progress. Already, our efforts have subjugated nearly a thousand mortal worlds. Despite their best attempts, not even the Vanguard can halt our progress. Once the Gate is finished, the full might of Hatred will pour into the Mortal Realm. Then, our Sovereign will put an end to this petty grandstanding. All knees will bend, all heads will bow before His might._

Blossom's eyes focused once more. She stared down at her mitt, which had turned black as night. Trembling, she flipped to another, random, page and touched it. Her eyes unfocused once more.

_This is not as planned. The Sovereign has been betrayed! No...no, without His presence, even Hatred will grow cold and temperate. Even now, I can feel my mind slipping, I can feel my heart growing heavy and hot. No, I will not allow myself to return to that! I am the keeper of the Sovereign! I am the leader of his armies! I am the grandmaster of war! I will preserve this journal, I will preserve myself! I will wait for you, my Sovereign. When you return, call and I will answer._

Blossom's eyes regained focus. This wasn't him...the Soul Collector didn't exist until after Aku returned to challenge Jack. Then...was there another? Another servant she should seek out? Perhaps, if there was, maybe that servant could help her find the High Lord? He could help her find the Soul Collector!

"Call and I will answer? That's the last thing written in here," Blossom paced back and forth, flipping through various pages. Each was filled with utter adulation for Aku, and complete devotion to his cause. It described some...plan, to leave this realm and invade the Mortal Realm. Even without leaving, it seemed they had proven so formidable that a group called the Vanguard seemed determine to destroy him.

Blossom paused, "The gods...Ra, Vishnu, and Odin. Aku said they were the ones who nearly killed him, and the ones who forged the sword. They must be the Vanguard," She nodded. That made sense. But who could have betrayed Aku? He said he was the leader of the Underworld, the most respected and feared of the High Lords. If he was on the verge of conquering the Mortal Realm and defeating this Vanguard, who would have betrayed him?

"Call and I will answer..." Blossom had finally finished reading the journal. She hadn't found anything else important. It was all too personal to be of much use. Whoever had written it had served Aku loyally, "The leader of his armies...grandmaster at war. We need this demon! But, how? Aku can't return to the Underworld," Blossom flipped to the last page, with that phrase. There were still several pages after that one, she noticed. Blossom began flipping the pages, running her hand from top to bottom on each one. Halfway between the last written line and the last page, she found something. As her hand touched the page, her eyes unfocused.

_ A map, a drawing of the entire city. There were nine points at each end of the city. Each point had a word written over it, a different weapon. The library she stood in now was labeled "Knowledge," and was the bottom left point. All nine points led to a point in the center. There was a word in the center:_

"Ugh!" Blossom's eyes focused once more. That word...what was it? She touched the page again, but before she could read that word, her eyes refocused and they became just scratchy symbols once more, "It must be important," she reasoned. Blossom took a moment to give the rest of the library a look over. Finding nothing else of interest, Blossom found her way to the exit and looked at the diagram once more. She nodded and flew straight into the air. The whispering in the wind grew louder the higher she ascended, until it was practically screaming. In an instant, all of the flying creatures wandering the fields turned and made a beeline for her. Blossom took a deep breath and began sizing up the city. Referencing the diagram, she measured the distance from the library to the nearest point on the map. Once she'd found all nine points—and most of them were craters by now—she found the point in the exact center. Blossom nodded. The point with the unreadable word was actually in the lower left of the city, nowhere near the center.

"Found you!" she chirped. One of the flying monsters screamed, finally catching her attention, "You just don't get it, do you?" Blossom snarled. She narrowed her eyes and tapped her mitts together. Electricity surged through her arms, sparks danced between her hands, "I don't have time for you!" She screamed, thrusting her hands out. The sky lit up, bathed in explosive arcs of lightning that tore through everything they passed through, living or otherwise. Bodies rained from above, drawing in crowds of the goat creatures and dog creatures. But, not even the earthbound monsters were safe, as stray bolts collided with them, setting them ablaze if not simply incinerating them where they stood.

Blossom snorted and dropped her arms. The air had grown silent; not even the sky dared to whisper. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and took off to the ground. She landed and checked the book again. This time, the word appeared crystal clear.

"Chamberlain," she whispered. The sky screamed and a blast of lightning shot from the void above, hitting with enough force to drive Blossom back a step. It drilled into the frozen fire mercilessly, tearing apart the streets and releasing torrents of flame into the air. The shrill howl in the air was joined by a new voice. This one soft at first, but growing in intensity. The low roar escalated into a thunderous shout. A single ray of light rose up from the underground, through the relentless lightning blast. The sky's scream faded as the lightning fizzled out. More fires were breaking through the street; the thunderous yell was growing louder still.

With a last shout, the ground opened up and a figured hovered out from the depths. The shadowy figure was tall, at least seven feet high, dwarfing the little Powerpuff girl. He touched down and gave a low moan; the light finally faded. Blossom crossed her arms, getting a good look at him. He was tall, with long arms. He wore the same uniform she'd seen Aku's other minions in, a hooded gi over spiked shoulder paldrons, though his was uniform blue instead of the usual red. Blossom blinked. The other minions must have been made in his image.

"You are not the Sovereign of Hatred," he spoke, opening his piercing yellow eyes.

Blossom nodded, "That's correct, I am-" he cut her off, unfolding his four arms. A sword appeared in each of his upper hands, while his lower left hand pulsed with dark energy, and the lower right hand caught on fire.

"I will serve no one, save the Sovereign! You will rue this misstep against His might!" With speed that even Blossom hadn't expected, He lunged at her, taking a swing with his swords. Blossom jumped over the attack, only to find herself staring into a pulsating dark energy blast. With a grunt, she spun in mid air, just in time to dodge the attack. Before she could land, he was at her throat again, now wielding four swords with impeccable skill. Blossom jogged backward, dodging each slash with wide eyes.

"You're fast," she commented. Chamberlain lifted the four swords, which merged into a single massive ax. With all four arms, he brought it down at her. Blossom rolled to the side and watched the blow cleave a scar in the ground, "And strong," she muttered. Chamberlain grunted and the ax vanished. Arms flailing, he hurled a rain of fireballs down on her. Blossom weaved and dodged her way through the assault, freezing any that came to close with a puff of her ice breath.

Chamberlain landed and summoned a bow, firing a flurry of arrows in her direction as he approached, "You, what are you? Who are you to stand against the Hatred's Might?" A particularly well-fired arrow went straight for her face. Blossom snatched it out of the air, raising her eyebrow.

"Nice shot," she commented. Her smug smile only further infuriated Chamberlain. He rubbed his head, his eyes taking on a glassy haze. Blossom recognized it as the same veil of hatred that blinded the other monsters, "Hey, let's talk about this. I think we have a misunderstanding," Chamberlain roared and vanished in a puff of smoke. He appeared in front of her, releasing a pulse of darkness that knocked her back a step. Four swords in hand once more, Chamberlain descended on her in an enraged assault.

"Shut your mouth, child! I will hear none of your nonsense!" he roared. Blossom smacked one of the swords aside, causing it to shatter. A spear burst from the hilt of the sword; the other swords vanished. Chamberlain dove at her, swinging the spear with devastating strength, cleaving a haphazard path through the city street. Any building caught by one of the blows was cleaved asunder. The ground, every time Blossom dodged a strike, split and released a gout of flame.

Blossom narrowed her eyes, "I'm not a child,"

"Then what are you!?" Chamberlain's spear burst into black light, becoming a sword of impossible size. He swung it with all his might, only to have it cleaved in two by a vicious slash from the Powerpuff girl. Her arm had become a solid black blade that easily shattered his own weapon. Chamberlain dropped the sword and fell to his knees, staring wide-eyed at the appendage. Blossom's eyes were alight with crackling pink flame.

"My name is Blossom," She pointed her sword at Chamberlain, who's breath caught in his throat. His eyes had lost their glassy haze, now filled with fear instead.

"The Sovereign of Hate? That power...you...you are," Blossom lowered her arm, shifting it back to its normal shape. The black faded, returning to flesh.

"His...girlfriend," She explained, a blush appearing on her cheeks. Chamberlain didn't seem to notice, instead falling face first to the ground, trembling.

"My Lady! Forgive my insolence! Please, I beg you! H-Had I known, I'd have never...I am yours! My Lady, please, direct my hand! In the name of my Sovereign, I am yours!" he cried. Blossom's glare softened. She gently touched his shoulder. Chamberlain refused to look up at her.

"I forgive you...I should have said something sooner. But, I have to admit...I did want to see your strength for myself. I didn't expect to find someone else still loyal to Aku in this place," she explained. Chamberlain rose to one knee, taking her hand.

"He has taken a name?" the demon asked. Blossom nodded; Chamberlain nodded, "The Sovereign, rather, Lord Aku has long been forgotten in this realm. Since the Prince of Pain came, the servants of Hatred have lost themselves to their basic nature," Chamberlain lowered his head, "On their behalf, I humbly beg your forgiveness,"

Blossom smiled, "Chamberlain, I've already forgiven you. But, you can help me. I'm here to set a demon free...Aku called him the Soul Collector," Chamberlain stroked his chin, mimicking the way Aku stroked his beard.

"I am afraid I have not heard of this demon. However, if we confront the Prince of Pain, I am sure he would know," he offered.

Blossom nodded, "Exactly. Take me to him. Once we have the Soul Collector, we can go back to my world," she blushed and touched her lips, "Back to Aku," Chamberlain nodded and rose to his feet. He bowed once more.

"In my Sovereign's...no, in Lord Aku's name, I will serve you, Lady Blossom. It is a modest journey, let us go," Blossom nodded, still holding Chamberlain's hand as they ventured out from the city. The demon noticed and cast a nervous glance in his new mistress' direction. Blossom only smiled and continued to hold his hand. Truth be told, she was glad to not be alone anymore.

What was this Prince of Pain though? Aku hadn't spoken highly of him...and the look on Chamberlain's face was less than promising. Whatever it was, he was powerful enough to usurp Aku's realm, and drive its inhabitants to madness. Blossom narrowed her eyes. Whatever he was, he was going to give her the information she needed. One way or another.


	67. Prince of Pain

"_**We took him three and three**_

_**In a stretcher made from trees**_

_**That had passed in the storm**_

_**Leave the hearse behind**_

_**To leave the curse behind**_

_**Oh be here now..."**_

**Dam at Otter Creek (Live "Throwing Copper")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 32**

"Who betrayed him?"

She kept asking that question, Chamberlain thought, avoiding the little girl's gaze once again. They two had traveled miles and miles across the blazing wasteland, making their way to the edge of the world, and the beginning of the Sea of Wrath, where the Prince of Pain's castle lay in wait. Every few minutes, Blossom would break the silence with that same question. Each time, he'd kept his mouth shut; he would pretend he didn't hear her, then he wouldn't have to face those memories. More importantly, he could avoid facing the answer to her question.

He didn't know.

Their path was littered with the corpses of monsters and creatures unmentionable. The further they got from the ruined city, the more terrible and powerful the demons they encountered became. While Chamberlain found his skills tested and strained—years of sleep had robbed him of his true power—he noticed with a growing uneasiness that his Lady was unmoved by even the mightiest creatures.

Blossom lashed out, tearing away from his grip on her mitt, taking out the legs of a massive ogre with a single swing of her arm. It wasn't always a sword, though that seemed to be her favored weapon. At times, her arms became massive axes; other times, they were serrated whips. Whatever weapon she chose to turn her arms into, the end result was the same: her foes were crushed or torn completely asunder.

The ogre's strangled cry of pain stopped abruptly and a geyser of blood shot into the air. Blossom returned to Chamberlain's side drenched in new bloodstains. Though her dress was long ruined, there was a look in her eyes after every kill, a look that grew more intense with every kill. She relished the feel of blood dripping from her mitts. Without hesitation, she licked the acidic blood from her lips with a smile. She held her hand out and Chamberlain took it. He held her hand tight and closed his eyes, sending a brief prayer to his Sovereign.

Suddenly, Blossom asked, "You're never going to answer me, are you?" The Grandmaster of War froze where he stood. He slowly turned to face her, making eye contact for the first time in hours. The glimmer in her eyes startled him, but her expression told another story: she was merely disappointed, not angry with him. Chamberlain sighed, and motioned for them to continue on. The Sea of Wrath was nearby.

"It is not that I do not wish to say, my Lady. It is...a more complicated matter," he tried to explain.

Blossom cut him off, "You don't know, do you?" Chamberlain lowered his head in defeat.

"I do not..." he confessed. Blossom took a deep breath. The massive amount of energy radiating from her intensified and whipped around like a small tornado. It glowed brighter and hotter, and then faded away entirely. When she opened her eyes again, the glimmer was still there, albeit brighter now. It was familiar and frightening. Chamberlain winced when she turned to him and smiled. The corner of her mouth twitched.

"That's alright...you never mentioned anyone in your journal, I shouldn't have expected you to know," Blossom pointed out. She pulled her hand away from him and crossed her arms, staring at the ground while they trudged onward. The rest of their trip was in silence, save for the sounds of slaughter whenever a creature confronted them. Blossom looked out across the Sea of Wrath when they finally reached the shore and licked some of the blood from her hand.

True to its name, the Sea of Wrath was a churning ocean of storms and crashing waves. Lightning erupted from the black clouds of smoke that rose up overhead, while the sea, a chaotic lake of fire, roared. Chamberlain gestured to the sky; Blossom peered upward and noticed a great black landmass, high above the Sea of Wrath. Blossom noticed, glancing over her shoulder at the whipping, maddening sky, that the screams seemed softer here than they had back in the city.

"The Sea of Wrath sits at the edge of the Realm of Hatred. The sky song is quietest here, far from the Heart of Hatred," Chamberlain explained. Blossom returned her gaze to the palace. She hadn't mentioned it to Chamberlain—his overprotective behavior had grown on her nerves—but she'd been nursing a headache for the past several hours. It would do her some good to be away from the, what had he called it? The sky song?

"So what are we waiting for?" Blossom asked.

Chamberlain cleared his throat, "Unfortunately, my levitation spells are inert this close to the Sea of Wrath. To get inside we'd need-MY LADY!" Chamberlain shouted as Blossom grabbed him by the back of his gi and straight into the sky, over the Sea of Wrath. In seconds they were at the front of the palace, though she couldn't find anything resembling an entrance. Blossom set Chamberlain, who tried to brush aside his embarrassment, down and stalked the perimeter of the palace.

'I want to get out of this air!' She thought, her mouth twitching again. Chamberlain was hot on her heels. Blossom grimaced and licked the blood from her other, still dripping, mitt. Despite the distance, at this height, the sky song was infuriating. Her head was pounding and her vision was getting blurry. With a low growl, Blossom stopped and sucked on her mitt.

"My Lady, if you'll wait for but a moment, I can explain," Chamberlain prattled on, explaining the construction and architecture of the Black Palace. He rambled about the location, how being built over the Sea of Wrath not only protected the Prince of Pain from harassment by the local creatures, but also provided an inexhaustible amount of power. He went on to explain just how the Black Palace could remain afloat but...

"**Chamberlain!**" Blossom screamed. Chamberlain stopped abruptly, taking a nervous step away from the Powerpuff girl. Her eyes were on fire, her hands had morphed into twin wicked blades. She barely managed to force down a pain-stricken snarl of anger.

"How..." she asked through gritted teeth, "do we get inside?"

Chamberlain cleared his throat, "I was getting to that, my Lady. The palace has no entrance, the Prince of Pain sealed himself inside and leaves only through astral projection," Chamberlain screamed and jumped as Blossom's fist crashed into the side of the palace, leaving behind a gaping hole. The fire in her eyes fizzled out and her arms returned to normal.

"Now there is, problem solved," she chirped with a forced giggle. Blossom slipped inside, with Chamberlain close on her heels. He stopped to observe the damage in the wall.

"Oh my..." he muttered.

"**Chamberlain**!"

"Coming!" The Grandmaster of War hurried after his mistress. Behind them, the black diamond rose into the air and repaired the hole in minutes, sealing them inside with the Prince of Pain.

* * *

Blossom breathed a sigh of relief once the two managed to find their way into the halls of the palace. The sky song was all but gone now and, though her headache was still persisting, Blossom was starting to feel a bit better. There was one small problem, though, she noted with a frown. She'd licked both hands clean already.

'I never noticed before...' she thought, wandering down a random direction, Chamberlain chasing after her, 'the taste of blood is so...different. I never thought I would enjoy it...' she sighed, pausing in a large dark room, staring at her mitts. She looked up, hearing a snap, and noticed a trail of torches lighting up. Blossom was startled from her thoughts enough to notice something odd about the palace. There walls were all reflective. Every which way she looked she could see her own reflection.

"Chamberlain," she asked, hearing him approach.

"Yes, my lady?" he responded, with a bow.

"Why was it built this way? To confuse anyone who gets inside?" Blossom asked. Without waiting for his response, she headed down the hall lit by the torches. More torches lit up along her path, taking her deeper into the palace, seemingly down random halls.

Struggling to keep up, Chamberlain wracked his foggy memory, "The mirrors...that's it! The Prince of Pain is notoriously paranoid. The...ahem..." Chamberlain cleared his throat, unsure of how to explain, "Beings like the Sovereign and the Prince of Pain possess the skill to hide their true selves behind masks. However, their true face is revealed in their reflection. That must be why the palace is made of reflective surfaces," he explained.

Blossom stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening. Was that true? She'd never paid much attention before but...it was true! She recalled a time when she and Baku were 'studying' and she noticed Aku's reflection in the mirror. She'd chastised him about being more careful. Uka-sensei always kept the windows in the classroom covered during class, not to keep the students from getting distracted, but so that they wouldn't see his reflection on the windows!

"Why is he paranoid?" Blossom pondered, surprising even herself. Chamberlain shrugged, summoning four swords to his hands as the two stepped into a massive antechamber. Every torch was lit, but the room was kept in the dark.

"Perhaps he fears the one who betrayed the Sovereign?" Chamberlain mused. Blossom nodded, that had been her guess as well. "This room is alive, my Lady, be careful. We are surely not alone," The flames in the torches lit up in bright, vivid shades of blue, green and purple. A dark voice filled the air, bouncing off the crystalline walls.

_ No you are not...very astute, Grandmaster of War._

"Prince of Pain! We seek your council! In the name of my master and ruler of this realm, the Sovereign of Hatred, show yourself!" Chamberlain shouted. Blossom started to wander toward the center of the room, but Chamberlain, his instinct taking over, forced her back and stood in front of her. The corner of her mouth twitched and Blossom narrowed her eyes. The sinister, scratchy voice chuckled.

_The Sovereign of Hate? Is that your story? Unlikely...that fool will never return here...no, you're with the other one, aren't you? What was...Peepers! Are you with Peepers? Did you finally come to finish what we started? I assure you, it will end differently this time, Peepers!_

"Peepers?" Chamberlain muttered in confusion, "We seek the Soul Collector, do you know where he is held captive?" The voice's ranting stopped. The flames of the torches grew darker; the voice chuckled once more.

_So that's your game is it? Why bring a child then, Grandmaster? Surely she has better things to do...like sitting in an empty-headed daze, imagining damnable dogs and Koosfolk!_

Blossom's cheeks turned red and flames began rising from her eyes. A loud whistling echoed in her head and the throbbing pain from before returned. With all of her willpower, she forced back a scream of anger and steadied her voice, "My name is Blossom. I'm here on behalf of Aku to retrieve his minion," The dark fires rose out of their torches and flew around the room, growing hotter, but darker still. One by one they collided with the far wall, causing the crystal to morph and change, becoming a twelve foot tall ornate mirror.

_It can speak of more than tea parties and butterflies? What a special specimen you have, Grandmaster. So you want to know about the Soul Collector? I may know a thing or two...come into my realm, bring your girl if you wish. Once I see what you're hiding...we'll decide if I'm in a generous mood._

The voice faded with a laugh, taking the third presence in the room with it. Blossom stared at the mirror, nearly blind with fury. How dare he talk down to her like that? She was not just a child! She was a goddess! And she wasn't about to let this...this stupid Prince of Pain get in her way!

"My Lady, please, control your emotions. Beings such as the Prince of Pain prey on the feelings and minds of lesser creatures. If you don't-" Before Chamberlain could finish, Blossom had him by his collar, lifting him off the ground. Her flaming eyes were burning furiously, and the power around her was rushing like a storm, tearing at the crystal floor and walls around them.

"**I AM NOT A LESSER CREATURE!"** She roared. Chamberlain, barely able to breathe, tried to find the words to apologize. Blossom threw him to the ground and approached the mirror. She paused when she saw her reflection. She hadn't paid much attention to it before, but seeing it now...her eyes were lit up, burning like Aku's, but pink. Her teeth had become sharper, like fangs. She caught the last glimpse of her skin returning peachy pink once again.

"He really is paranoid," she muttered, "He thinks we're trying to hide our true selves," Blossom crossed her arms and took a deep breath.

"My...Lady, my apologies, I never meant to," Chamberlain watched Blossom walk through the mirror and sighed. Standing up straight and squaring his shoulders, Chamberlain joined her through the mirror.

* * *

Blossom stepped through the mirror, into a swirling vacuum of twisting blue and purple star lights The platform she was standing on was made of silvery-blue metal, reminding her of duranium, and it stretched out becoming a bridge leading to a much taller platform with a colossal purple throne. The stars around her were all shades of blue and purple, all winking and sparkling, but giving off a hideous dark light. Something felt eerie and different, but she couldn't tell what until she took a few steps forward and nearly tripped over her own feet.

Blossom stared at her hands. Not mitts anymore, but now real hands with real fingers. She flexed her fingers; a small moan escaped from her lips. She touched her face, and felt that it too had changed. She turned around, shoving Chamberlain out of her way so she could look into the mirror again. She was taller, quite a bit taller. Four and a half...maybe five feet tall now? Taller and older. Blossom ran her hands across her body. She wasn't a little freak anymore. She wasn't a little girl anymore either, she realized with a gasp. She had breasts, even if they were small. She had hands, she had feet. She was...Blossom touched her reflection, unable to control her own smile.

"I'm beautiful..." she whispered.

Chamberlain cleared his throat and spoke up, "The mirror transforms your outward appearance to reflect your true self," he explained, "While...your body was behind the curve, with the mirror's help, it now matches your mind," Blossom looked up, finally noticing that Chamberlain, too, had changed. His uniform was gone, leaving him naked. He stood just as tall, but with two horns growing from his head and tiny blue fires rising from his eyes. His mouth was filled with oversized fangs and his face was green. He looked like...

"You look like Aku," she pointed out, approaching him. Though he was still much taller, it was only by about two feet. She could actually touch his chest without flying. Chamberlain blushed and pushed her hands away.

"I...have tried to live my life in the Sovereign's image. It is no surprise my inner self takes his form," he flinched when she touched his chest again, then ran her hands along his horns, standing on her tip toes to reach. His cheeks lit up rosy red, making Blossom giggle as she finally pulled away.

"My real self," She whispered, walking across the bridge to the throne. She clasped and clenched her fists and wiggled and clenched her toes. She touched her chest again and found herself blushing, imagining what it would be like if Aku were the one touching her...

"So, this is who you are? Not a small child, but a promiscuous young girl...how boring," it was the voice from before. Chamberlain was instantly at Blossom's side, swords brandished. The figure sitting in the throne was only a foot or so taller than Blossom. He was very thin, with pale blue skin and long, darker blue hair. His outfit was...the only word Blossom could think of was simply, why?

Like an old foe of hers, he wore thigh high stilettos. He covered his upper chest in golden armor with a long red cape but...left his midriff and legs bare, covering his genitals with a golden...plate. Blossom raised an eyebrow, though noticed out of the corner of her eye that Chamberlain was blushing once again.

"You're...the Prince of Pain?" she asked, incredulous. The demon smirked and nodded, lacing his long, thin fingers together.

"Correct, you may call me Hookocho...now tell me," He sat back and crossed his legs. A glass of red wine appeared in his hand, which he proceeded to swirl and sip while addressing them, "What do you dears want with the Soul Collector?"

Blossom glanced at Chamberlain, expecting the protective demon to speak up. He still seemed frozen, staring at the High Lord. Blossom rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "I've come here for the Soul Collector. Aku and I need his help to take over the Earth," Blossom's cheeks turned soft pink. She couldn't resist rubbing her arms against her chest.

Hookocho smirked and winked at Chamberlain, snapping the demon out of his revere, but leaving him sputtering and blushing worse than ever, "Big words...Aku, is that what he calls himself now? A pity, the Sovereign would have been best to stay dead," Hookocho took another sip of his wine, "And you, honey? What are you supposed to be? How did a mortal get roped into Our business?"

Blossom narrowed her eyes, "I'm not a mortal! I told you, my name is Blossom. I...was the leader of the Powerpuff Girls. You must have heard of us, we're Earth's greatest heroines," Hookocho yawned and tapped a black fingernail on the arm of his throne.

"No, I haven't heard of you. You mortals are all the same...you think the universe revolves around you, you think you matter at all. Ha! The universe hardly even knows you're there! And it certainly won't miss you when you're gone...you, Grandmaster of War. Why did you bring this mortal with you?" Hookocho snapped his fingers, snapping Chamberlain out of his daze.

"It was my Lady, Blossom, who set me free. She has conquered the greatest of Hatred's children, and is the beloved of our Sovereign, himself. It is she who sought you, not I," Chamberlain explained, resting one hand on Blossom's shoulder. She gasped—the touch was like electricity—and looked up at Chamberlain. He must have noticed it as well, he swallowed and cleared his throat, slipping his hand away from her. Hookocho merely laughed, waving his hand. The stars around them started to blink out one by one.

"Pathetic! And to think you were the general of the Sovereign's armies. It's no wonder he failed on his pointless invasion of the mortal realm. And its no wonder he turned to this mortal...for all his power, the Sovereign always was a fool," he laughed again, this one piercing through Blossom's new-found happiness and renewing her headache from before. She growled and narrowed her now burning eyes.

"I am not a mortal! I am a goddess!" She shot back. If possible, Hookocho laughed harder. Before his laughter had been condescending. This time, though, he seemed genuinely amused by her assertion.

"A goddess? Is that so? There are no such things girl!" Hookocho laughed once more. Blossom was taken aback. She'd heard that before, moments before she blew up the planet of the little aliens laughing at her. But here was a being who was...for all intents and purposes, like Aku. And he was laughing at her just like they did. Just like her peers would, even now. Blossom blushed and felt her eyes watering. She tightened her hold on herself and glared at him.

"Aku is a god! And I'm a goddess! He said so himself!" She spat. Hookocho waved his hand, dropping his wine glass, which shattered and turned to dust on the ground.

"Oh, you poor sweet dear, you really believe that, don't you? He has you so fooled!" Hookocho rose from his throne and stalked toward her, cupping her chin in his long, bony hand. Blossom was shaking, her eyes were on fire, but she was on the verge of tears. She tore away from his grip and glowered at him. Her headache was screaming.

"Then what are you? I've seen Aku's power! What else could he be?" And why would he lie to me...she added silently. Hookocho stalked to the edge of the platform and spread his arms.

"The universe...is very large place, girl. But even it is not infinite. There are things beyond your universe. Your universe is what we, here, call the Mortal Realm. Time has meaning, death is rampant and unrelenting," Hookocho turned and held out his hands. Between his hands, Blossom could see the entire universe.

"Is...that really..." She asked. Hookocho laughed and shook his head.

"Of course not, it's simply a visual aid...but in the grand scheme of things, this is your universe," Hookocho spread his hands further and countless disconnected cylinders, similar to the universe, appeared around it, "And these are ours. We outnumber you, girl, but don't be afraid...we have no ill-will toward your world. In fact," Hookocho laughed, "We don't care about the Mortal Realm at all. You pitiful little mortals are the insects of creation. And we," He crushed the images between his hands and began to glow, giving off waves upon waves of purple and blue light, "We are the giants of creation,"

Blossom swallowed and narrowed her eyes, "If you're not gods, then what are you?"

"We call ourselves the Caelestis," Hookocho replied. Blossom frowned and tapped her chin.

"That's Latin, why are you using our words to name your species if we're so inferior?" she pointed out. Hookocho laughed and put his hands on his hips.

"My dear, do you not find it odd I even speak your language? Or the Sovereign for that matter? What of your dear friend, Chamberlain? Not a Caeleste...but useful for proving a point..." Hookocho shot back. Blossom stared at him wide-eyed. She hadn't even considered that. English wasn't even the most spoken language on Earth, but here she was speaking to an alien who was perfectly fluent in it.

"To simply be an Immortal does not make one a Caeleste, we have very distinct traits...much like the various types of mortals. Firstly, we have the power to know another language by merely hearing it once. A type of high level telepathic resonance, if you will," he explained. Blossom nodded. That's how Bubbles could speak Spanish and Squirrel, that part of her powers was active. It's why they, all three of them, somehow understood English fluently the moment they were born. It would explain how Aku learned Japanese, and how he suddenly knew English after being reborn in America.

"Secondly...we can transform. I'm sure you noticed the mirrors? Caelestis can change their bodies in various ways, it's a tremendous power. But...we cannot change who we are, and our reflection shows that. Disappointing really, but even after aeons, no one has found a way around it..." he trailed off, contemplating his own lecture.

"What else? Do you all talk so much?" Blossom asked, growing impatient. Something about the Prince of Pain rubbed her the wrong way. He reminded her of...she jumped back, barely avoiding an explosive laser blast from Hookocho's eyes.

"Various other powers...we are also known for our lack of tolerance for self-righteous mortals," Hookocho threw his cape back and returned to his throne, sitting gingerly and crossing his legs. Another glass of wine appeared in his hand.

"I didn't come here for a lecture! I came here to find the Soul Collector. Will you tell me where he is?" Blossom asked forcefully. She stored away what he had told her, though. She'd need to confront Aku about it, for sure.

"You need one, girl. Did you not listen to a word I said? Your world is an inconvenient speed bump to our conflicts, and you still want to get involved?" He and Blossom locked eyes; neither blinked or looked away. Hookocho sneered and sipped his wine, "Get out of here, girl, I've decided I don't want to play with that miserable, pathetic fool," Chamberlain had finally had enough of Hookocho's jabs at Aku and stepped forward, pointing a sword at the Prince of Pain's face.

"That is enough! You will submit to the Sovereign's demands!" Chamberlain barked. Hookocho pursed his lips and held up his hand. Chamberlain growled and dove at Hookocho, merging his blades into one massive attack. Hookocho snapped his fingers and the air in front of his lit up blue and hardened. The moment Chamberlain struck it, the air exploded and released a small concussive blast that sent him careening into Blossom. Blossom caught Chamberlain, who groaned and climbed out of her arms, embarrassed.

"My Lady, allow me to confront this wretch, in our Sovereign's name," Blossom grabbed Chamberlain's shoulder and pulled him back.

"You don't stand a chance against him, Chamberlain," Hookocho smirked; Blossom narrowed her eyes, "I'll get the answer from him, in my name," Hookocho frowned and laced his fingers. Blossom began to glow, a pink light rising from her skin. Her eyes caught on fire and her teeth sharpened. Hookocho flinched, his eyes widening. The girl was more powerful than he had expected. He frowned and got to his feet.

"What are you, girl?" He asked, barely dodging Blossom's first strike. She spun in mid air and unleashed a devastating punched that split the tower they were standing on. Hookocho growled and held out his hands. The star lights around him lit up and a rain of blue and purple dark light shot from the vacuum at Blossom. She weaved in and out of the blasts, closing in on Hookocho in seconds. He dodged her vicious attack, grimacing. She took another swing at him, the shock wave caused by the punch taking out the bridge leading to the mirror. Hookocho reappeared in his throne, still grimacing. Blossom took note that he was holding his side gingerly.

"What's wrong? Done already? We just started, Hookocho," She taunted. The Prince of Pain chuckled through his pain and stood up straight. He unhooked his armor and let it fall to the ground.

"An old wound acting up...damn you, Peepers, I had hoped I wouldn't need to do this. Fine, girl, let me show you the real face of pain!" Hookocho howled and his body became engulfed in dark light. His bones snapped and cracked, his fingers growing even longer and sharper. His back stretched and grew, the skin splitting as two more appendages rose out from his skin. His boots melted into his skin; he grew taller and his feet began to change, become wicked talons. His face stretched and spread, his teeth grew out becoming massive fangs, stretching passed his chin. With another howl, the dark light exploded and Hookocho sat, perched on his throne, cackling.

He was over twenty feet tall, with massive talons for feet, and hideous claws for hands, each one as big as Blossom herself. His lower jaw had grown out and his mouth was now big enough to eat a person whole, with foot long, razor sharp teeth. Toxic venom dripped from his mouth, melting into the floor as it fell. The strangest thing about his new form, though, where the massive wings, like a butterfly, growing from his back. His wings were vibrantly glowing with twisting shades of blue and purple dark light. He fixed his hundreds of eyes on Blossom and giggled, a quaking, yet high-pitched hissing laugh.

"You should consider yourself lucky, I haven't cast off my mask in millenia, little girl. You'll be the first devoured by the Prince of Pain in so long!" He howled, releasing a massive sonic wave at the two. Blossom shoved Chamberlain out of the way and took the full force of the attack. It struck her head like a thousand nails on a chalkboard, and tore into her skin like a million foot long needles. She screamed as it exploded and sent her careening into the vacuum of space. Hookocho appeared, suddenly, and snatched her in his claws. Cackling, he slammed her into a new platform, which seemed to appear from nowhere.

"Welcome to the big leagues, little girl! What's wrong? Does it hurt?" Hookocho laughed and coughed a stream of toxic venom at Blossom. She tore her way through the metal floor and pulled herself free, but not before the vomit hit her leg, tearing into her skin and melting through her shoe entirely. She screamed and stumbled back, gasping and holding her head. Hookocho screamed again, but, despite the pain in her leg, Blossom dove out of the way. He was already waiting for her, though, and caught her with his eye lasers, blasting her through the platform, and another, and another, until she crashed into the, now rebuilt, original platform. Chamberlain clambered to her side.

"My Lady! You can't fight him, allow me!" He begged. Blossom hissed and batted Chamberlain away. She grabbed her head and snarled. She pressed her hands against her eyes, firing pouring out between her fingers. Hookocho came out of the sky and slammed into her, driving her into the platform. He perched on the back of his throne and laughed again.

"I'd forgotten how fun you mortals could be! So pathetic, but so willful! We'll break that!" He stretched his arms and wings out. The stars overhead lit up with new dark light. Blossom, still clutching her head, couldn't see to avoid it. With a scream, Hookocho unleashed the dark lights, raining down a stream of blasts on Blossom. Blast after blast of atomic magic collided with her, their explosions only barely drowning out her screams of pain and Hookocho's sadistic laughter.

He ceased the barrage and sauntered over to her. He dug around in the crater, grinning when he found her and pulled her loose. Blossom was a mess, covered in blood and burns. She grit her teeth and grabbed his hand, only managing to escape by tearing her dress in half. She lay on her hands and knees, gasping for air. She screamed and fell forward, clutching her head.

"The sky song got to you, didn't it, girl?" Hookocho taunted, fluttering closer, "Has that affect on all weaklings, don't feel bad. And don't worry, I promise I won't kill you right away...I haven't had this much fun in a long time!" He lashed out at her again, claws gleaming in the dark light.

"My Lady!" Chamberlain cried. He and Hookocho gasped, when Blossom's hand shot out and caught Hookocho's massive claw, holding it back. Blossom slowly climbed to her feet, snarling and shaking. Fire poured from her eyes and power poured from her body. Her arm had turned solid black, her fingers had become powerful claws. She looked down at her other hand, just the same as the first. She ground her fangs and closed her eyes tight. With a scream, she threw a punch at Hookocho, her arm transforming into a wicked blade just as it hit, piercing his middle. He screamed and fell back, clutching his chest with one arm. The other, remained trapped in Blossom's grip.

"You can change?! But...the mirror!" Hookocho screamed. Blossom only screamed and threw him across the platform, crashing through his throne. She thrust both arms out, transforming them into twin swords. Still sputtering and growling, she charged at Hookocho.

Hookocho stood up, albeit slowly. He took a deep breath, only to lose it when the Powerpuff girl collided with him. She lashed out at him with absolute ferocity. The blades sliced through his skin easily, too easily. Every blow hit harder and fiercer than the last, smashing Hookocho's bones and bruising his nigh invincible hide. He managed to dodge a massive swing from Blossom and hit her with another sonic scream. To his horror, she was undeterred. No, if anything, she only seemed angrier.

"This isn't possible..." he muttered. He screamed again; this time, Blossom screamed back. Her own sonic scream overwhelmed his and threw him off the platform. Like a pink streaming meteor, she collided with Hookocho and drove him into the next platform. He tore away, gasping hysterically. It was worse than Peepers. The dog had just crushed his astral projection. No, this girl was here, fighting him. And she was determined to kill him.

"Le-Let's talk about this...just a moment," he sputtered. Blossom lowered her arms, her swords shifting back into hands. With a grin, Hookocho released his dark light blast once more. Blossom snarled and screamed, blasting him with her heat rays. The rays of light were so great, so bright, Chamberlain could feel the heat from the throne tower. The nuclear, explosive blasts drove Hookocho deeper and deeper into the void of his own realm, tearing apart his hide. Mustering the last of his strength, he managed the strength to teleport himself back to the throne tower. Just as he appeared, he was slammed into the throne, with Blossom's sword arm at his throat.

"**I am done playing your games. Tell me where the Soul Collector is!**" she barked. Hookocho nodded, struggling to pry her away from him. She shoved him against his throne once more and stood up straight, allowing her arms to return to normal. Hookocho, too weak to maintain his true form, reverted to his more human form. He clutched his chest wound, made worse by her damned heat rays.

"First...tell me...what are you?" he asked. He winced when Blossom looked down at her hands.

She took a deep breath, "My name is Blossom Utonium, I'm a Powerpuff girl. And maybe I'm not a goddess, but you, oh mighty Caeleste, you're the insect here. Now answer me!"

Hookocho nodded and choked down a weak breath, "The Heart of Hatred. From what I could see...when he was cast into the Realm of Hatred, he was sealed at the Heart of Hatred...but, there's something else. Something horrible followed him. I...I wouldn't even dare to go there," he finally confessed. Blossom snorted and started back to the mirror.

"Let's go Chamberlain," she called. The demon nodded, throwing one last look at Hookocho. The Caeleste watched them approach the mirror and coughed.

"You like that form, don't you? You're beautiful," he called. Blossom froze and looked down at her hands. She touched her breasts once more and thought of Aku. Hookocho grinned, his fangs gleaming in the dark light, "I'm glad,"

Blossom glared at him, then, dragging Chamberlain with her, stepped through the mirror.


	68. Spirit of Righteousness

"_**I tear on the leash **_

_**That keeps me contained and controlled**_

_**Let me go!**_

_**I wanna break free**_

_**And fight my way out of this hole,"**_

**Ties that Bind (Alter Bridge "Blackbird")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 33**

The massive, ornate mirror began to glow, until its glass faded into phantom light, allowing the travelers to pass through it. The moment she set foot in the crystalline palace, Blossom's eyes snapped open. Something was wrong. She took another step, terrified to look down. The room was bigger, her steps were uneven. She needed to balance again. Trembling, tears filling her eyes, Blossom touched her face. Her eyes grew wider still; she traced her hands across her body.

Her heart began to race, her breaths came in short, forced gasps. Blossom took a deep breath, struggling to fight back the tears, struggling to breathe with the lump filling her throat. She swallowed and shook her head, clenching her eyes shut. It couldn't...he wouldn't. She touched her face again and, lips quivering, turned to see Chamberlain pass through the mirror, returned to his normal ninja form.

With a terrified scream, she shoved him out of her way to look at her reflection in the mirror.

"NO!" Blossom screamed, falling to her knees, reaching out and touching her reflection, "NO! NO! NO!" She smashed her fist against the glass, punctuating each cry, but it refused to give. It refused to take her back, to return her to what she was just moments ago. Blossom was shorter once more, she'd lost her fingers, her toes, her breasts...everything that had made her perfect and beautiful was gone. Staring down at her stubby mitts, tears poured down her cheeks.

"No...no it isn't fair! Give it back! GIVE IT BACK!" She screamed, smashing the glass again and again, "Make me pretty again! Please! PLEASE! Don't do this! NO!" Behind her, Chamberlain stood uneasily, unsure of how to even react. On one hand, he'd seen Blossom at her strongest, tearing apart one of the High Lords like he was nothing, but now...now she was just a sobbing little girl. If it were a fight, maybe he'd know how to move forward. But listening to her cries grow more and more pained, he found himself frozen in helplessness.

"My Lady..." he whispered, reaching out a hand to her. He paused, then let it fall. What could he say or do? Blossom doubled over, crying into her arms. This was it. Hookocho's last laugh. That's what he meant when he said he was glad. Hiccuping, wiping the tears away from her eyes, she stared into her own bug eyes. She looked at her body, a child's body again. She looked at her weird mitts, her weird feet, her big head. Blossom clenched her teeth and glared, fresh hot tears streaming down her bright red cheeks. Fire welled up inside her and poured from her eyes, a feral snarl rose up in her throat.

With a bitter cry, she reared back, unleashing the massive extent of her power. The raging rose light filled the dark crystal palace, banishing the shadows and shaking the very foundation of the floating island. Cracks formed in the walls, the ground beneath her split, and the temperature inside became nearly unbearable. Chamberlain stared in awe, watching as her physical form started to change. But, just before her power could explode, it fizzled out entirely. Blossom fell on her face, sobbing uncontrollably. Just like that, the little goddess was a little girl again.

"It's not fair...it's not fair! I deserve it! I deserve a body that fits the real me!" she cried between body wracking sobs. She threw a weak punch at the mirror, barely strong enough to rattle the glass. Blossom threw another punch at her reflection, and another. With each strike, she grew weaker and cried harder, "Why? Why can't I keep my real body? I deserve it! I deserve to be the real me! I deserve to be beautiful! I...I...I need it...please give it back..." She hunched over and shook, her cries going silent.

Faintly, Chamberlain heard her whisper, "He deserves better...he deserves a better me...why can't I be good enough?" Chamberlain stalked toward the Powerpuff girl, kneeling down beside her. He hesitated, before reaching out and laying a hand on her back. She went stiff and choked back her cries.

"Lady Blossom...I know I have only known you for days now, but what I've seen has been in every way worthy of the Sovereign...of Lord Aku's affection. Of his adoration. Of his love. I knew him best in his old life, as the Sovereign of Hate, when no one could pierce his hate-filled heart, when all he sought was ultimate destruction,"

"That he trusted you to come into this place, that he chose to call you his beloved, it speaks volumes, my Lady. I have seen your will. I have felt your strength. I have marveled at your intelligence. You, and only you, are deserving of Lord Aku. Of that, there is no doubt in my mind. No one else, in all the cosmos, could ever compare," Chamberlain closed his eyes, trailing off. His eyes snapped open, a strange new emotion flooded him when Blossom threw herself in his arms. He stared at her in confusion. Without much thought, he wrapped his arms around her, embracing her the way she embraced him.

She still cried, into his shoulder. Were she not driven to weakness in her despair, her embrace may have crushed him. As it was, the weight of her sadness struck him worse than any weapon. Chamberlain felt his own black heart cracking and tightened his embrace.

"It is alright, my Lady. This form...perhaps it doesn't capture everything that you are, but one such as you could never be anything less than worthy of the Sovereign," Chamberlain smiled, in spit of of himself. She'd ceased crying, it seemed. Blossom pulled away from him and wiped her puffy eyes.

In a low voice, she asked, "Do you mean that?"

"Every word, my Lady," Chamberlain replied, without hesitation. Blossom bit her lip and nodded. One last tear slipped down her cheek, but she brushed it away. Blossom turned to the mirror and, with a venomous glare, struck it, this time shattering it for good. The blow struck with enough force to tear down the entire wall, opening the antechamber to the howling sky song of the Realm of Hate. Wiping her eyes again, Blossom walked to the edge of the floating rock and turned to Chamberlain.

"You know where the Heart of Hatred is?" she asked. Chamberlain nodded and climbed to his feet, joining her.

"Yes, if we hasten our steps, we can be there before nightfall,"

* * *

In all the Realm of Hatred, there was no place more terrifying, more chaotic and uncontrollable than the Heart of Hatred itself. A devastated, blistered field marred by horrific dark tornadoes, wrought with blinding flashes of lightning. And the sky song, the maddening, infuriating scream that filled the sky, sung louder here than anywhere else. Even miles from the Heart itself, Blossom and Chamberlain found they couldn't speak over the deafening cacophony overheard and around them.

And the closer they got to the Heart itself, the greater the darkness became. As they left the Black Palace, Chamberlain had explained that not even light could escape from the Heart of Hatred, a pit from which none had ever escaped, save for the Sovereign himself.

'The original Pit of Hate,' Blossom thought, staring steadfast into the wind. The outer-dimensional landscape Aku lived in now was, as she understood it, a torn away fragment of the original pit. To hear Chamberlain explain it, it seemed that it wasn't the Pit that created Aku, but rather, the other way around. It was from Aku's infinite hatred that the Pit of Hate was formed.

No one knew his actual origin; Aku claimed that his memories from before his birth as Aku on Earth were fuzzy at best. He recalled the Demon Gate. He recalled his kingdom, and he had even discovered the name of the High Lord, or Caeleste, who had taken over it. But, the further back he went, the foggier the memories got. Blossom supposed that, if he put his mind to it, Aku could recall every memory, even his birth. She resolved to try to help him remember when she got back to Earth. It was the least he could do for her, after lying to her all this time about what he, they, were.

Blossom noticed that, the closer they got to the Heart of Hatred, the slower Chamberlain seemed to walk. As the great crater came into view, her companion was limping, practically dragging himself, while holding his head. To be fair, though, her own headache would have been unbearable if she weren't so determined to drive forward. When they reached the edge, though, Chamberlain collapsed, clutching his head and moaning. Blossom knelt down beside him, shaking his shoulder.

"You can't hear me, can you?" She tried calling, but couldn't hear her own voice. Blossom frowned and shook Chamberlain once more. With a feral cry that very nearly pierced through the sky song, he threw himself at her, eyes glazed over and swords blazing. Blossom gasped and dodged the wild, furious strike. The song had driven Chamberlain back into his mindless hatred!

"Chamberlain! Stop this now! Get control of yourself!" she screamed, but it was to no avail. Her voice couldn't carry through the storm, but even if it had, she was sure he wouldn't hear her. Blossom growled and shifted her arms into swords, catching and parrying Chamberlain's rapid strike. After slicing through his swords, he threw the hilts aside and unleashed a torrent of dark magic in her direction. Blossom batted the spells away, tapping into more and more of her power, while the fight drove them closer and closer to the edge of the crater.

'I need to knock him out somehow, but...' But she didn't want to hurt him, she thought. He'd been so loyal to her, she couldn't blame him falling prey to the sky song's twisted power. Chamberlain threw his arms back and roared, black, swirling voids appearing in his hands. He clenched his fists and thrust his arms out, hurling a barrage of daggers at Blossom.

"Wow, really?" She cried, shifting her arms back to normal. She bat the daggers aside, swinging her arms like propellers. Grunting, she took a few steps back. Chamberlain upped the pressure, switching to throwing axes. The much larger weapons required a bit more force to deflect, and took her back further with each block, 'Man, he's not kidding with that Grandmaster of War stuff. He's actually starting to wear on me...' Blossom gasped when she felt her foot hit the edge of the crater. She made the mistake of looking over her shoulder, into the Heart of Hatred.

It seemed endless, a void of perfect darkness, reaching out into the air like hungry tendrils. The air over the crater was dead and heavy, as if it was trying to suck her in. The longer she peered into the darkness, the louder the sky song felt. Blossom's hands went to her head, clutching her temples. Chamberlain's relentless assault collided with her, nearly driving her over the edge. Her mind screamed, the pain started at the back of her head and drilled forward, until it was trying to push her eyes out of her skull. Chamberlain was suddenly beside her, wielding a metal staff with brutal efficiency.

The first blow struck her stomach, forcing her to double over. Blossom gnashed her teeth and clenched her eyes shut. The next blow smashed into her face, knocking her head back. Chamberlain rammed the butt of the staff into her knee, knocking her leg out from under her and driving her to the ground. He whipped the staff around and brought it crashing down on her back. Blossom clambered to her feet, struggling to hold back the black fury filling her every thought. The final blow hit her in the face, knocking her to the edge. Blossom stumbled, struggling to keep her balance.

With a primal snarl, Chamberlain threw the staff to the side and tackled her, sending them plummeting into the darkness.

* * *

Flying through the darkness, locked in a furious struggle, the pair crashed into the ground like lightning. This far down, the sky song was but a dull roar high overhead. Chamberlain, groaning and hissing, pulled himself out of the hole their landing created. Still dazed and unsure, he peered back over the edge, gasping in horror when he saw his Lady, clutching her head in pain.

"Lady Blossom! No...no!" Chamberlain cried, pulling Blossom gingerly from the hole. He held her delicately in his arms, touching her face and checking her over for wounds. Blossom groaned, still clutching her head tight.

She licked her lips and muttered, "I'm fine, Chamberlain...but, if you make me do that again, I will kill you," she peered up at him, wearing a look that said it wasn't a joke. Chamberlain nodded, and then, out of nowhere, wrapped his arms around Blossom and held her tight. Blossom blushed, still too dazed to pull away from the demon's embrace.

"My sincerest apologies, Lady Blossom...never again will I raise my hand against you. I'd sooner die than see myself your foe once more," he apologized. Blossom pulled away from his hug and climbed to her feet. Her head was throbbing, worse now than ever before. This headache, where had it come from? Her skin felt too close, too tight. Her heart was racing; her blood was pumping. And her power, if not for two years of careful practice, Blossom wasn't sure she'd be able to control it. She felt somehow trapped inside herself.

"If you keep picking fights with me, that won't be an issue anymore," She mumbled darkly. Chamberlain climbed to his feet and bowed, frowning deeply.

"Of course, my Lady...should I turn against you again, do not hesitate to strike me down," he implored. Blossom shook her head, finding it hard to stay mad at him. He'd tried to kill her twice now,b but he was so frustratingly loyal...now he was asking her to kill him if it happened again.

"I'm sure we won't need that, right?" she asked.

Chamberlain bowed once more, "On my honor, never again will I stand against you," Blossom nodded and looked around. After a few frustrating moments of pitch black staring back at her, her eyes lit up. Even with her night vision, though, she found it difficult to see too far ahead of her. She sighed and wandered in one direction, spotting a path through the wall, leading deeper into the pit.

"Do you think this is the way?" She asked over her shoulder. Chamberlain joined her, scratching his chin.

"Perhaps...as I see it, we have no other options. Though he was a deceitful worm, I feel the Prince of Pain was forward with us. The Soul Collector is surely deeper still," Chamberlain closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he nodded, "Yes...yes, I am sure of it! I detect faint traces of the Sovereign's power, deep inside this hole,"

Blossom nodded and the two descended even deeper into the Heart of Hatred. She could feel it too, a power similar to Aku's deep in the darkness. But, she thought, narrowing her eyes and pulling her lips back in a frown, that wasn't the only presence she felt. Perhaps Chamberlain was ignoring it, or perhaps he truly couldn't sense it. But, something they would soon encounter was distinctively not Aku. It was something else, something just as familiar, but not as welcoming. Blossom frowned and brought her hand to the scar on her chest.

Something down here had no intention of letting them leave easily. Hadn't Hookocho mentioned it? Something horrible, even he didn't dare face.

Their trek turned from minutes into hours, as they plunged deeper and deeper into Hatred's depths. The radiation of Aku's distant power grew stronger with every step, but also, with each step, so did the horrible other presence. It wasn't until the two saw a bright, piercing light around the bend that Blossom realized she was right. Chamberlain saw the light and stood, paralyzed, in his tracks.

"That light..." he whispered. It was a savage, burning white light. One that, even faint and far as it was now, singed the demon general's skin. Blossom narrowed her eyes, driving onward into the familiar, searing light. It was nearly ten minutes before, at long last, the two stepped into a much larger chamber. Here, there were shattered statues of Aku, each destroyed by different patterns of mighty slashes. And there, at the end, was a tomb, sealed tight, but still emitting a wicked dark power.

"That is enough," A proud, calm voice rang out. Blossom looked up and grimaced, while Chamberlain practically frothed with rage. The angelic figure descended from a throne beyond the tomb, down a small flight of stairs to stand between them and the Soul Collector, "Wicked hearts such as yours have no right to this place. Leave at once,"

The voice, Blossom somehow recognized, though she'd never heard it before in her life. In some way, it made her skin crawl, and her stomach ache. Somehow, a familiar voice she'd never heard was enough to nearly whip her into a frenzy. She narrowed her eyes and stared into the haunting figures own resolute glare.

He looked just like her father, Professor Utonium, but painted through a historic lens. He wore a white robe that shone bright as the daylight sky. That and his skin seemed to be the source of the infernal white light. No, the burning light came not from him, nor his robes, but from within him. The light was what he was now, this form was just a projection, a physical form used to confront intruders. He reached to his side and gripped the handle to a sword.

"Do not test me, monsters. You have run amok for far too long, if you do not leave, I will destroy you," he spoke with such resolution, such determination. It made Blossom's headache worse, it made her skin feel tighter and more uncomfortable.

"Who are you?" Chamberlain asked.

Blossom answered for the figure, "The Nameless Prince...the Samurai that killed Aku," the glowing figure narrowed his eyes. Blossom narrowed hers and clenched her fists. Her lips pulled back, revealing her fangs, "My ancestor,"

"Killed Lord Aku? Impossible...what...no man could ever strike down the Sovereign!" Chamberlain barked, summoning his weapons. Blossom waved him down and took a step forward. Instantly, the pain in her head exploded, nearly driving her back.

The glowing white figure closed his eyes. Two great white wings spread from his back, nearly filling the room, "Many years ago, I fought against the monster known as Aku, to free the future, and the present, from his wicked grip. I succeeded in killing the beast, but I could not destroy him," The figure, the Samurai, opened his eyes and glared at Blossom, "You are the result of my failure. Turn back now, change your ways, and leave his dark influence. Do not force me to destroy you,"

Blossom frowned and stood up straight, forcing herself to ignore the pain, "Destroy me? You think you could destroy me? You don't have any idea what I am. You don't know who I am! The world has been trying to destroy me from the day I was born! They couldn't stop me! My father couldn't stop me! My sisters couldn't stop me! You...you won't stop me!" Blossom took a step forward, only to have her bangs clipped. The Samurai swung his sword so fast neither she, nor Chamberlain saw it.

"I chose to remain here in the darkness to ensure the world never face Aku's full might again. I am the Nameless Prince. I am Samurai Jack. I am the Spirit of Righteousness. Your wickedness has no power here," He held up his sword, squaring off with the Powerpuff girl, "I will destroy you, and my failure will, at last, be put to rest,"

Blossom took a deep breath and prepared herself. She lunged for a punch, but the Samurai was gone, slicing through her side with a lightning fast attack. She hissed and tumbled away, holding her side. The wound burned, just as it had seven months ago when Buttercup cut her. Blossom trembled, looking up at the phantom. She growled and took another swing at him. The Samurai caught her in the chest with his knee and another slice across her back, driving her to the ground once more.

"My Lady, don't underestimate him...his power is unlike anything I've ever seen," Chamberlain called, baffled by both the Samurai's speed, the strength he showed, tearing through his Lady Blossom's flesh like paper. Blossom climbed to her feet and held her head. Her headache was blasting behind her eyes, nearly blinding her. She scratched her arms and took several deep breaths. It was just the realm getting to her again, her skin would fit right soon.

She wasn't allowed the chance to recover, the Samurai lashed out with a flurry of strikes. Each faster than the last, it took all of Blossom's focus to avoid the deadly slashes. Each one cleaved the ground beneath her feet; one, barely avoided, cut through her dress, but the mere force of the slash still split her skin, leaving behind a minor cut. She dodged a thrust, just for the Samurai to slam his knee into her chest once more. He brought both hands down on her back, knocked her face first into the ground. Blossom shot out from beneath him, just as the sword came down and cleaved the stone where she once lay.

"He's fast...he's strong...and I can't...think!" Blossom groaned and grabbed her head again. This time, the Samurai struck while she was staggered. The first cut slit her arm from wrist to shoulder, spilling her blood across the dark stone. The next, across her cheek, with enough force to throw her head back and knock her off balance. The last flew across her belly, throwing her completely off her feet and into the wall. Blossom threw her arms around her stomach, gasping for air.

The Samurai stood upright and pointed his sword at her, "You were no match from the beginning...save what remains of your dignity and face oblivion with honor," Blossom groaned and doubled over, holding her head once again. The blazing white pain shooting from her wounds only seemed to intensify the pressure in her skull. It had migrated from her eyes and was now pushing against the crown of her head. She felt close to screaming, "Very well..." the Samurai said, and made a dive for her!

Blossom's eyes shot open. With only seconds to spare, she dove out of the way, the Samurai spun on a dime and lashed out, slicing down her back from top to bottom. Finally, Blossom screamed and collapsed on the ground. The initial pain had been bad, but it only seemed to intensify with every breath she took. She struggled to her knees, gasping for air. The cuts weren't healing, in fact, they were getting worse. Still, she managed to stumble to her feet.

It was unlike anything she'd experienced, especially since walking through the Demon Gate. Blossom's power seemed wildly out of control, as if it was disconnected from her completely. She couldn't focus, but at times would feel a sudden explosion of strength and power, more than she was ready to handle. Perhaps it was her power fluctuating that made her skin hurt so bad. She felt stretched over herself, barely able to hold together. Her body felt too small, maybe it was a side effect of Hookocho's magic? A sudden power surge hit her, causing her wounds to flare up, and driving her to her knees.

"Pitiful creature...do not be afraid. I will not prolong your suffering. Go in peace, knowing you have saved the world!" the Samurai shot forward and took a mighty slice at her. Blossom threw herself backward, in time to avoid being killed, but not in time to get away entirely. The blade shot across her chest, tracing the length of Buttercup's scar. Blossom fell landed on her feet, but now, she felt herself fill with not only new, impossible pain, but unrelenting fury. The screaming in her head overtook her, all she could do was scream to echo it. She dropped to the ground, clutching her head.

The Samurai started toward her, ready to finish the job. In a flash, Chamberlain was in his path, swords at the ready. The Samurai fell back into his defensive stance, ready to confront the Grandmaster of War. Before either could strike, a tremor shook the room, the entire pit, and possibly the entire Ream of Hatred. Chamberlain tore his gaze away from the Samurai and stared in awe at his Lady Blossom.

"What in the name of the Sovereign..." he murmured. The Samurai, too, turned to face the Powerpuff girl. He gasped, eyes going wide.

"No! That is impossible!" The Samurai shot passed Chamberlain and took a swing at the Powerpuff girl, now encased entirely in blazing, swirling dark pink and black light. The blade bounced off the energy field, spraying deadly sparks across the room. The Samurai lashed out again and again, but none of his strongest blows could pierce the girl's dark power. Within the bubble of evil energy, Blossom's scream of pain was growing more and more feral, more dangerous. It was turning into a scream of rage.

The Samurai jumped back, nearly dropping his sword. The pink inferno grew brighter and brighter. Blossom fell to the ground, tearing at her own skin. The light grew so fierce, neither the Samurai, nor Chamberlain, could bear look directly at it. Then...with a sharp intake, Blossom screamed and her power exploded...unleashed at last.

Chamberlain and the Samurai stared into the raging inferno as Blossom slowly climbed to her feet.


	69. Everything Nice

**Dreams of an Absolution**

_**And every night I lay awake,**_

_**And I find no conclusion.**_

_**'Cause every night, it just stays the same**_

_**And I dream of an absolution**_

It started in my chest, just over my heart. It seemed like, lately, my pain all started with my heart. I fall backward, clutching my chest, trying to stop the blood streaming down my front. My hands shoot to my head. The pain inside explodes, overturning my every thought and drowning them in a sea of unrelenting agony. I gnash my teeth and bite down on my lip, biting through it and spilling blood down my face. No amount of willpower can stop me from screaming as I fall to my knees.

I collapse on the ground, screaming louder and louder. My head is tearing apart, I think, cold terror trying to find its way into my thoughts. Before I can even try to be afraid, its taken over by my pain. My throat feels like its tearing apart; every second the pressure threatens to split my head stretches the limits on just how hard I can cry. Tears pour from my eyes, but they vanish the moment they touch my skin. I'm burning up...I'm on fire!

_In the nightlight, do you see what you dream?_

_All your troubles, are they all what they seem?_

_Look around you, then you may realize_

_All the preachers, all with their lies_

The pain spreads from my head, through the rest of my body like lightning. Every inch of my skin ignites and burns. I fall, face-first, into the dirt and try with all of my might, all of my will to regain control, to take control of my own power. In response, my skins heats up even hotter, and fire begins to pour from within me. I'm engulfed in a wild fire, one that even I can't control! My skin burns and peels, stretching tighter and tighter. I can't breathe! I can't move! I can only scream and smash my face against the ground.

I can't take it anymore! I start to tear at my skin; I start to tug at my hair. My head is splitting open, my skin is tearing apart. My power, unstoppable waves of raw Chemical X, erupts from me, threatening to rip me into a thousand, a million pieces! I smash my face against the ground again and tear at the scar on my chest. I feel new, white-hot emotion flood me, echoing and supplementing the pain. Impossible anger; uncontrollable rage.

_In the nightlight, do you still feel your pain?_

_For the valor, you wait, it never came_

_If you able, would you go change the past_

_To mend a faux pas with one last chance?_

I can't stand this stupid, useless, worthless body! I won't be trapped anymore! They can't make me! I shove my mitts into the scar, tearing it open. New, untapped power pours from it and from within me. A frozen, cool black power engulfs me, mixing and churning with my own blazing pink power. I peer through my fire and stare at the haunting silhouette of the samurai. My fury grows, and my hatred overflows. New pain erupts from my back; the pain on my head intensifies. I buckle down and smash my face on the ground one last time.

Suddenly, the pressure in my head is released, while blood spills over my vision. I throw my head back and howl; the pain in my skull is growing, but the pressure is vanishing. The pain in my back is joined by a pressure like that in my head. Too soon, though, my back erupts with new agony, while the pressure vanishes. I can feel blood catching in my throat, but I can't stop screaming. I reach for my chest, digging my mitts into my own bloody cavity, and, with one last scream, my power explodes and I tear myself apart.

_In the nightlight, do you see what you dream?_

_All your triumph and all you'll ever be_

_Look around you, then you may realize_

_Happiness lies trapped in misery_

The pain is gone.

I slowly climb to my feet, sputtering and snarling. I hate him so much; I hate everything about him, everything he stands for, everything he stood for, everything he ever was. I narrow my eyes, now raging fires. Not a temporary expression of my power, no...now my brand new eyes are unleashed, scorching the very darkness of the Heart of Hatred.

I look down at my hands and a wicked grin spreads across my lips, revealing razor-sharp fangs. My hands are blacker than night. Not wrapped in black, not cloaked in darkness. No, my hands are the darkness. My pitiful, weak self is gone, this is the real me. And this time, it's no longer just my hands. No, my entire body is free. From my hands to my feet, every inch of me is pitch black, I'm sure of it. I touch my face, the last remnant of my human self. That, alone, has remained the same, as it should.

I am Blossom, I was always Blossom.

I take a deep breath and slowly let it out. The raging fire that pours from my body explodes outward with my breathing, driving back both the Samurai, and Chamberlain.

_'Cause every night, I will save your life_

_And every night I will be with you_

_'Cause every night I still lay awake_

_And I dream, of an absolution_

I narrow my eyes; my power intensifies.

I reach for the top of my head and feel them, the source of my headache. My snarl fades, once again replaced by a grin. One, two, three, four, five, six horns line my skull. I don't need a bow anymore, no. I've replaced it with a crown.

There's a new, strange sensation in my back. I look up, seeing a new appendage entirely. A pitch black, long tentacle, the length of my body. With a simple thought, it whips back and forth, flexing like a muscle. I look over my other shoulder and see another. I move this one too, as easy as either of my arms. I stretch my arms out, then stretch out their new sisters.

Six tentacles in total, each the length of my body, reach out from my back. New limbs that, for so long, had been missing. I flex and stretch each of them, one by one. Nothing had ever felt so easy, so right, so perfect. With a simple thought, one morphs, becoming a sword. Another grows claws, becoming a new hand. The third becomes an axe, the fourth, a hammer. The next turns into a sickle; and the last tentacle sharpens and becomes a spear. With another thought, they return to normal.

_'Cause every night, I will make it right_

_And every night I will come to you_

_But every night it just stays the same_

_In my dream of an absolution_

Now, for the final test.

I pull my arms, and tentacles, in tight, and begin to growl. The chamber starts to shake—the realm of Hatred begins to tremble. My growl grows louder, becoming a roar. My roar shakes the entire Underworld. I can see it in Chamberlain's eyes, he no longer questions my power. I can see it in the Samurai's eyes.

He knows who I am.

I throw my head back, and roar louder still. Rocks collapse from overhead, though they're incinerated as soon as they splash into my furious power. I begin to pull it in, taking a deep breath. Soon it's condensed around me like a miniature sun. It's so bright, I can't even see the room around me.

With one final scream, I explode, unleashing the full, hidden depths of my true power.

* * *

_And you'll see..._

The Heart of Hatred suddenly exploded, a pillar of pink and black light erupting into the sky. So bright, it made the Sea of Wrath seem dim by comparison. So loud, even the sky song went silent in its wake. In fact, the sky itself was pierced by the unstoppable surge of energy. The full might of Chemical X, of Blossom, unleashed, tore through time and space itself as a colossal tremor.

* * *

_What you'll be..._

Across the small island nation of Japan, a power surge shattered every window, blew cars off the streets, tore entire forests apart, and overloaded every electronic device. Quickly rushing out of their small house in the middle of a hidden wasteland, Baku, Ikra, and Aku Blossom stared, wide-eyed, at the ocean, watching as the massive tremor drove back the ocean itself. Baku swallowed a lump in his throat, and gestured toward the waves.

"Was that...her?" Aku Blossom asked, watching the wall of water surrounding Japan grow higher and higher, as the ocean was pushed further and further back. Ikra knelt down and wrapped her arms around the two children.

"It was...it had to be...Blossom," she whispered.

* * *

_And you'll see..._

In the city of Townsville, in the middle of a cold, silent night, a shockwave of incredible power suddenly shook the sleepy city. Street lamps flickered and shattered, car alarms went off filling the air with screeching cacophony. In the quiet suburb of Pokey Oaks, the Utonium household felt the tail end of the shockwave..

Upstairs, Bubbles whimpered and hugged Octi tighter, burying her face in his soft, warm body. Tears rolled down her cheeks, though, as no amount of snuggling with her favorite toy could relieve the pain in her stomach and the terror gripping her heart.

Buttercup sat up with a scream, sweat pouring down her face. Gasping for air, she turned and looked at her restlessly slumbering sister, thankful she hadn't woken her. She doubled over, holding her chest. Buttercup whimpered and stared at her lap. Her chest hurt so bad. Every breath she took was painful and heavy. She closed her eyes, letting a couple tears slip free.

Down the hall, in the master bedroom, the Professor was hunched over in his bathroom, throwing up. He groaned and wiped the sweat away from his brow. He pulled himself to his feet and stared in the mirror. He'd never felt so sick in his life. He doubled over, throwing up in the sink, his knees nearly giving out underneath him.

* * *

_All you can be_

The torrent of power slowly faded, dimming down to a dull roar. Blossom dropped her arms to her sides, tentacles waving freely for the first time. Her eyes, indistinguishable from the fires around her narrowed. Chamberlain dropped to his knees, unable to stop shaking. The Samurai had backed away, barely able to find the courage to stand his ground.

They both knew.

Somehow...it seemed everyone knew.

_Yeah, this is my dream_

_And every night_

_And I will always dream_

The real Blossom was finally free.


	70. Perfect Little Girl

"_**I will now bleed for what I believe in**_

_**No more mistakes for them to make for me**_

_**So goodbye, it's my time to be...**_

_**To be me"**_

**Sentry the Defiant (Coheed and Cambria "The Afterman: Descension")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 35**

Blossom slowly exhaled, her fangs gleaming when she smiled. Her ruined clothes had been completely incinerated by her transformation. Her long hair billowed in the wind given off by her energy. Overhead, the light of Hatred's sky trickled down into the pit, through the gaping hole left overhead from her outburst. Faintly, she could hear the sky song. But, over the roar of her energy, it was a dull mumble. No one spoke for the longest minute, until Blossom grinned and took a step forward. The Samurai jerked backward, sword held at the ready.

"You don't seem so confident anymore...am I scaring you, Samurai?" Blossom taunted. One of her tentacles whipped to the side, smashing one of the ruined statues. The Samurai narrowed his eyes and puffed up his wings, though he couldn't help flinching when the same tentacle lashed out at him, snapping inches from his face. Blossom giggled and shifted her mitts into claws, "If you want to know...I've never felt more confident. I've never felt better!"

The Samurai swallowed and pointed his sword at her, "Do not think this changes things, demon. You shall not win this day!" In response, Blossom merely laughed. She snapped her tentacle in his face again. This time, the Samurai swung at it, missing by inches. With a war cry, the Samurai wasted no more time and charged at the monster.

"This changes everything!" she hissed, dodging his first strike. The next came even faster, but Blossom dodged it with a smirk; one tentacle shot out, becoming a sickle, nearly taking the Samurai's head from his shoulders. The Samurai continued his assault, sword flashing like lightning through the air. But, hard as he tried, his blows were always just behind his prey's step. That is, until, with a mighty cry, he shot into the air and came down with all his might.

A wicked grin spread across Blossom's face, her arm shifting into a sword of her own. She casually held her arm up, blocking the attack. The two stood, the Samurai shaking pushing down with all his might, Blossom grinning and standing still as a statue.

"This. Is. Impossible!" The Samurai bellowed. He jumped back and struck again. Once more, Blossom parried the attack with a simple swing of her arm. Where before, his strikes had pierced her skin effortlessly...now they weren't even enough to stagger her. With another cry, he struck out with a massive swing. Blossom blocked it and effortlessly forced his blade to the ground. Shaking her head, she giggled and lightly caressed his cheek with her tentacle.

"You know, you only have yourself to blame..." she whispered. The Samurai glared and jumped away. Blossom's hand shifted back to normal.

The Samurai, panting and looking around nervously, yelled back, "That is not true! I did everything I could to save the world! I will not allow an evil such as you to win! I cannot allow it!" The Samurai took a swing at her, but with a casual backhand, Blossom knocked his sword from his grip. It flew across the chamber and embedded itself in the wall. She narrowed her eyes and began to advance on him, her mitts shifting into all manner of different weapons reflexively.

"You won't allow it? Don't you understand? It's your fault I'm even here! You said it yourself! I'm your greatest failure..." Blossom stopped and looked to the side, gesturing toward one of Aku's statues, "You killed Aku! You were the man who killed a god! The insect that grew a stinger! It's your fault!" Blossom's energy exploded out, driving the Samurai up against the wall. He groaned and slid to the ground, taking a meager defensive stance. Blossom glowered, her fangs bared and eyes burning brighter. Her tentacles whipped and snapped viciously.

"You killed Aku. And your descendant, used what was left over to make something much, much worse. You get it, don't you?" Blossom took another deep breath, a growl working its way into her throat, "**You made me!**" She roared and threw herself at the Samurai, her hands turning into claws.

Blossom cleaved a massive gash in the wall with a simple swing of her claws, the rock tearing until it became sand, the very force of the slash causing the wall to collapse. The Samurai rolled to the side, only to be snatched by her tentacle. Blossom hurled him through a statue and shot at him once more. It took all the Samurai's strength to dodge her next attack, only to have another tentacle slam into his stomach. Blossom whipped around and brought two more down on his back, smashing him into the floor. The Samurai crawled to his knees and rolled forward, just narrowly avoiding her hand, in the form of a hammer, smashing down where he'd been.

"That right! Run! I want you to die tired!" Blossom roared, belching out a massive column of flame that tore through nearly everything in its path. The Samurai quickly ducked behind a statue, avoiding the brunt of her fire breath, though it destroyed his cover.

"I cannot...let you..." Blossom shot a tentacle out, grabbing the Samurai's throat and choking down his sentence. He hacked, gagging on breathless screams as she thrashed him again and again with her tentacles like whips. Blossom snarled and slammed the Samurai into the ground. As he began to rise, the tips of her tentacles lit up with pink energy.

"Incredible!" Chamberlain cried, watching as Blossom unleashed a massive energy blast from each of her tentacles, further desecrating the chamber. The Grandmaster of War noticed the coffin, which was in danger of being destroyed by his Lady's wrath. Casting a glance back at the fight, Chamberlain slipped into the shadows.

"Where's your attitude now? Where's your spirit of righteousness?" Blossom screamed, unleashing her heat rays, which hit the Samurai and smashed him through the chamber wall, his body digging its own crater. Blossom appeared in front of him, snatching the edge of his gi and lifting him up to her face. This close, the Samurai could feel the full heat of her power burning his ghostly form.

"Evil...cannot win...cannot overcome...righteousness..." he managed to choke out in defiance. Blossom chuckled and threw the ghost to the ground. As she stalked toward him, her entire body began to tremble. She ground her teeth, her grin becoming a feral snarl; she dug deeper and deeper into her dark, ancient power.

"**You're wrong!**" she, quite literally, roared, "**Let me show you what real evil is!**" She roared again and threw herself forward, her entire body exploding. Before the Samurai could climb to his feet, he was hit by a new, much larger form. He choked on blood catching in his throat and slowly looked down. She'd transformed, completely this time. Her massive snout was inches from his face, fire leaking from her curled lips, showing off her now huge fangs. He looked down at the claw now pinning him to the wall. It was larger than his torso. With a growl, she shoved him against the wall, crushing his ribs, his hips, his shoulders in one swing.

Blossom, now a massive black dragon, roared and threw the Samurai to the ground. In spite of his injuries, the angelic phantom got to his feet and dodged her next swing. With a roar, Blossom spread a pair of giant wings, smashing in the walls and bringing more of the ceiling down. She rose up on her hind legs. The Samurai stared in horror, backing away, trying to find his sword. She was too tall to stand up straight...she had to be nearly thirty feet tall now.

Chamberlain froze where he stood, next to the tomb, staring wide-eyed at Blossom's transformation. "No...it can't be..." he whispered. It was a form all too familiar to him, though somehow different. Now there was no doubt in his mind...she was the one, "The Sovereign..."

The Samurai pulled his sword free from the wall, panting and clutching his chest. He looked up at Blossom, just as her tail swung around, clubbing him in the chest, driving him through stone pillars and through the distant wall. The Samurai, finally, crumbled, too weak to pull himself free from the wall. The Powerpuff girl roared and belched a torrent of fire out at the fallen warrior. Too weak to avoid it, the Samurai screamed, his ghostly form ravaged with pain. He fell forward, pulling free from his rocky tomb. His form had survived, but at what price? He couldn't move, he couldn't defend himself.

Blossom shot across the room, crawling along the wall, tearing down more of the ceiling. She lunged at the Samurai, digging her massive claws into his wings. Unlike the rest of him, they shred like flesh, spilling blood across the cave floor. The Samurai screamed as blow after mighty blow came down on him, tearing his broken wings apart. Blossom swatted him across the room once more and breathed another wall of fire over him. When she finally let up, the Samurai's phantom body had lost its glow, just barely maintaining its grip on the living world.

"**Weak!**" Blossom roared, stalking toward him, her feet smashing deep craters in the ground, "**Pathetic! You thought you could destroy me? I'm more than you could ever be!**" Blossom roared and began shrinking, until she was once more her true self. She launched her tentacles at him, piercing his hands, his side, his shoulders, and one through his stomach. She dragged him to her, forcing him to kneel down. She leaned forward, standing nose to nose with the ghostly warrior. Her eyes burned venomously in the dark.

"Where's your stinger now?" She spat. The Samurai, defiant to the end, narrowed his eyes and struggled to speak. Blossom punched him in the chest, forcing out his thin breath. She grabbed his hair and pulled his head back to look her in the eye. When he tried to draw another breath, she punched him in the throat and let his head drop. She slammed him into the ground, and her tentacles shifted to serrated blades. She slowly tore each one from him, her glare becoming a grin with each louder scream.

She kicked him in the side, rolling him screaming and gasping for air onto his back. Blossom chuckled and blew a puff of air at him, which froze the ghostly skin where it hit instantly. The Samurai cried out again, and again, each time more desperate than the last. Inch by inch, she slowly froze his body until only his head was left. Patches of his face were frozen, but he could still, barely, open his eyes. With his vision fading, and the light from above being only marginally brighter than twilight, all the Samurai could see in the dark were her eyes. Wicked flames, flames he'd unleashed.

"No..." he finally managed to gasp out. Before he could finish uttering the word, Blossom's arm, transformed into a long blade, shot out and rammed through his mouth, spearing his head to the ground. The light finally left the Samurai's eyes and his form went dim. As it was fading, Blossom brought her tentacles down and smashed his frozen form over and over again, until there wasn't even ice left behind. With a snort and a giggle, she turned away.

Samurai Jack was dead at last, and dead for good.

"My Lady, the tomb is opening," Chamberlain called. Blossom joined him, watching as black and blue light erupted from the edges of the coffin. A white aura appeared around the coffin and, as quickly as it appeared, shattered. The lid exploded and a hellish scream filled the air. It was the sky song, Blossom realized. Or at least, it sounded similar.

Blossom crossed her arms and raised a flaming eyebrow, "The Soul Collector, I presume?" The black figure rose up from the light, stretching his arms into the sky. There was a maniacal grin on his face as his head lit up with blue fire. He lowered his head and stared at them with a wild smile on his face. The demon had no teeth and the blue fire coming from his head seemed to fill his entire body, lighting up his mouth and eyes. He lowered his arms and stretched his long, clawed fingers. Like Chamberlain, it seemed he too had been made in Aku's image.

"So long...I've slept so long..." he murmured to himself, in a high-airy voice. The Soul Collector pulled back the dark cape he wore, revealing a suit of armor made entirely from skulls adorning his chest. He turned his head to the sky, ignoring Chamberlain and Blossom entirely.

"So many voices screaming in unison, so many souls to collect!" He began to rise up in the air. He didn't make it far, though, before an explosion of pink fire cut him off and he found himself held by his collar and staring into Blossom's eyes.

"I believe, I was speaking to you," she spoke, throwing him back down to the coffin. The Soul Collector shook his head and looked around, finally taking in his surroundings. He threw a passing glance at Chamberlain, then turned to face Blossom.

"Master?" He whispered. Her dark skin, flaming eyes, lashing tendrils...was this the master? No, the master did not have long red hair, nor was he a small girl child. The Soul Collector narrowed his eyes and floated up to her level, staring at her eyes. And yet, though it wasn't the master...he found himself compelled to obey.

"My name is Blossom," she said, "Your new mistress," she was equally quick to point out. The Soul Collector narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"What of the Master, Aku? You resemble him, and yet...you are not the Master," he asked.

Blossom smirked and crossed her arms, "I'm his girlfriend, and one day, I'll be his Queen," The Soul Collector was taken aback. A bride for the Master? What kind of creature could compare to the might of Aku? What mortal could dare claim to be his equal? His beloved? The Soul Collector groaned, too weak, still, to muster much in the form of retaliation. The Soul Collector's eyes went wide; he, once again, took in his surroundings.

"The Samurai...where is the Samurai?" He clutched his head and groaned, recalling his final moments alive, "I remember...I tried to steal his soul, but it was too powerful! Even...Even I could contain it. It drove me to this place...where is this place?"

Blossom giggled and, reaching out with a tentacle, turned the Soul Collector to face her, "This, is your master's world, the Realm of Hatred. As for the Samurai?" She couldn't help giggling again, "I killed him," she chirped, cocking her head to the side and smirking. The Soul Collector went limp, staring at this terrifyingly powerful little girl.

"Then you truly are...the Mistress? The Master sent you to find me?" he asked. Blossom closed her eyes and considered the question, before nodding and shrugging.

"It was a cooperative effort," she explained. Blossom reached out with one of her tentacles and grabbed Chamberlain, lifting him up to their level. The demon general still wasn't comfortable flying, "Let's get out of here, then we'll discuss this," The demons agreed and together the three left the Heart of Hatred. They landed in the wasteland surrounding the pit; Blossom threw Chamberlain to the ground. She brought a mitt to her head and growled as the sky song began to blare in her ears. Her headache was gone, but that frustrating sound was still grating on her nerves.

Blossom blinked and looked behind her. Her power was erupting around her wildly. Chamberlain and the Soul Collector had backed away significantly to avoid being incinerated by a passing flare or being smashed by one of her flailing tentacles.

"Sorry," she called sheepishly, lowering her power to a more manageable rate and joining them. The Soul Collector took a moment to bow.

"Do not apologize, my Mistress. Allow me to introduce myself correctly. I am Demongo, the Soul Collector and the last and greatest of Lord Aku's minions," he explained. Chamberlain crossed his four arms and glared at Demongo, raising an eyebrow.

"The greatest of the Sovereign's minions? I think not, though I am certain your power was not a waste of our Lady's time," Chamberlain snapped. Demongo chuckled and stood upright, once more sizing up the Grandmaster of War.

Demongo grinned and said, "I assure you...whatever you are,"

"Chamberlain! The Grandmaster of War, master general of the Sovereign of Hate's armies!" Chamberlain shot back.

"Chamberlain...I assure you, I am the greatest of all Lord Aku's creations. I am the sum of his bitterness and wrath, the scourge he left in his wake! I..." Demongo stretched his arms out proudly, "am the minion who killed Samurai Jack," Blossom blinked and tapped her chin. Was that true? If so...it was impressive, for just a minion.

Chamberlain, however, was no impressed, "I am the mold from which all other minions were made! I was the first of the Sovereign's creations, and I alone hold the right to lead his armies and command his legions. You, Soul Collector, are at my command," he insisted.

"Not a chance!" Demongo laughed, turning his eyes to the sky, "I serve no one but the Master," both of the demons felt a sudden power surge nearby. Demongo cleared his throat and bowed, smiling sheepishly, "And, now, my Mistress, of course!" Blossom relaxed and glanced around. The sky song was really starting to grate on her last nerve. Unlimited power hadn't done a thing to improve her temper.

"That's enough...it doesn't matter! What's important now is leaving this place," Blossom explained. She gestured to the Realm of Hatred, and stared expectantly at the two demons. The three stood and waited, staring at each other. Demongo glanced from Blossom to Chamberlain. Chamberlain fidgeted and glanced around. Blossom growled and narrowed her eyes.

"Open the Demon Gate!" she screamed. Chamberlain and Demongo traded a glance. Chamberlain sighed and bowed.

"My apologies, my Lady, I cannot summon the Demon's Gate," he apologized. Demongo nodded, also bowing.

"Yes, my Mistress...I, too, lack that power," he replied. Blossom stared at them, her arms and tentacles going limp and dropping to her sides. The fire around her fizzled out; her eye flames weakened until they were just smoldering embers.

"You...can't," she asked, pointing at the two.

"No, my Lady,"

"Unfortunately, my Mistress,"

Blossom dropped her hand and kept staring. The only sound the three could hear was just the sound of the sky song, raging overhead. Blossom touched her forehead, staring at the ground. Demongo started to speak, but a gesture from Chamberlain told him it would be better to remain silent. She stayed that way for several minutes. Grating sound of the sky song grew louder and louder and louder. And then...

"**NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!**" Blossom suddenly screamed, her power erupting around her, splitting open the sky and devastating the ground beneath her. She lashed out in a fury, her tentacles smashing through the ground, sending colossal shockwaves across the field; unstoppable explosions of raw force obliterating everything in their path.

Demongo grabbed Chamberlain and levitated the two off the ground as the surface below them was quickly destroyed, consumed by Blossom's growing power and her increasingly violent outrage. She screamed and the force rocked the Realm of Hatred like a thunderclap, vaporizing the poor flying demons who happened to be within miles of her. She threw her head back and screamed again, another explosion destroying everything, living or otherwise, in its path.

The power around her was growing and spreading, devouring anything that got too close. She was changing into different shapes and forms, but only momentarily until returning to her true form and releasing another scream to rend the world around her. Pillars of fire burst from the ground, which was quickly crumbling inward. The Sea of Wrath was whipped into the worst storm it had ever known, spilling over the shores and flooding the Realm of Hatred, or what little of it remained. In less than five minutes time, Blossom's fury had reached such a terrifying level that as far as Chamberlain and Demongo could see, there was no where to land. The entire Realm of Hatred was collapsing into a sea of fire and death.

"**NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!"** Blossom screamed again and again. She took a deep breath and, with all of her fury, thought about the tiny shack in the hidden wasteland of Japan. She thought of Aku in all his forms: Uka, waiting for her in America. She thought of Ikra, Baku, and her own clone, waiting for her in the shack. She thought of the times they'd never share, the true self she could never show him. She thought of the future she'd never reach, the future he'd never see. Tears spilled down her cheeks and, with all of her hatred, Blossom screamed louder, harder than she ever had before.

Relentless waves of pink light erupted from her body, merging with the sound and piercing the veil of time and space itself. A horrifying scream rang out to join hers and a sound, like a single, poorly tuned violin, played as the void between worlds tore open. When at last Blossom stopped screaming, the Realm of Hatred was no more, but the Demon's Gate stood open, ready to lead them back to Earth.

"Mistress that was..." Demongo started, trailing off.

Chamberlain nodded, "My Lady, I've never imagined..." Blossom blushed and shook her head, flying over to the portal.

"Let's go home," she called back to them. With one last parting glance to the, now silent, Realm of Hatred, the three passed through the Demon's Gate, and closed the door on that forsaken world one last time.


	71. Soul Collector

"**_I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones_**

_**Enough to make my systems blow**_

_**Welcome to the new age, to the new age**_

_**Welcome to the new age, to the new age**_

**_I'm radioactive, radioactive,_"**

**Radioactive (Imagine Dragons "Night Visions")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 36**

The island nation of Japan was hit by a tsunami worse than any in recorded history, when the ocean itself rose up like mile high walls around the island. When they collapsed back in, the devastation was extraordinary. Entire cities were gone in seconds; countless lives were lost. In a secluded wasteland, hidden away by magical energy, a humble little house survived untouched.

Inside, the dwelling defied imagination, becoming a massive, spacious tower. The main chamber was outfitted with a ridiculous shag carpet and a large, patchy sofa that, despite its wear and tear, was remarkably comfortable. A big screen television was mounted in the wall, showing several different news reports, each detailing a different catastrophe caused by the phenomenon just hours ago. A young monster boy sat on one side of the couch, resting his cheek on his hand. A red-haired Powerpuff girl laid against him, grumbling as she explained into a communicator, for the thousandth time, that she was fine and didn't need her sister to come get her.

"Buttercup, really! It's fine! We didn't even get hit here, Ms. Ikra's house is probably the safest place in all of Japan!" she chirped, giggling as Ikra came into the room, laying out a tray of cookies. Baku snatched one of the cookies and leaned over Aku Blossom's shoulder. Buttercup bristled and glared at him. He smirked and winked.

"Yeah, chill, sis. We're just fine," he explained, snickering when Buttercup started yelling for him to get lost and stay away from her sister. Ikra rolled her eyes and joined the two on the couch.

"She just doesn't know when to stop," she muttered. Aku Blossom grew frustrated and said one more goodbye, hanging up on Buttercup. She fell from Baku's lap, slipping headfirst to the floor and glaring at the television.

"Why won't she just leave Blossom alone?" she cried, slapping both hands against her forehead. She grumbled when her bracelet left a small red spot where it hit. Baku sighed and stared longingly at the empty far wall. The other two turned to stare at it and, in unison, they all sighed once more.

"I wish she'd hurry and return," Ikra pouted. Baku and Aku Blossom nodded. The latter started to open her mouth, when, suddenly, the air was sucked from the room. The three sat in complete, utter silence, staring at the wall. There was something behind the wall. A...scream?

The wall exploded with light, a massive door made of blood and bone appearing from the frozen flames. It flew open and poured hellish fire into the Pit of Hate's living room. All three incarnations of Aku flew to their feet and stared hopefully into the portal. What walked out, exceeded all of Aku's most fantastic imaginings.

At first glance, they were sure she was Devil Blossom, but the moment her fiery eyes opened and a fanged smile spread across her lips, they knew that wasn't the case. Her six tentacles waved eagerly while she approached them. Ikra started to speak, only to be silenced by the soft touch of a tentacle on her lips. Aku Blossom reached out to touch her, gasping when she felt her hot, bare black skin. It wasn't a symbiote, like Devil Blossom. This was...

"Blossom!" Baku cried, throwing himself into her arms. Blossom caught him, and snatched up Ikra and Aku Blossom, pulling them all into a massive, crushing hug. Baku pulled away, touching her horns, an awestruck smile on his face.

"Horns...great flaming eyebrows...Blossom, what happened? You're..." He laughed wildly and pulled her into another hug, "You're beautiful!"

"You're amazing!" Aku Blossom chirped, slipping her arms around Blossom's waist and burying her face in her shoulder. Blossom blushed bright red and giggled, kissing Baku's cheek. Aku Blossom opened her mouth to protest, only to lose it when Blossom's lips captured hers in a kiss. Ikra crossed her arms and scowled.

"Oh I see, you don't like this form anymore, do you? Hm?" She complained. Blossom giggled and hovered up to her eye level. She took her face in her hands and pulled Ikra into a deep kiss. Her tentacles slipped away from Baku and Aku Blossom, wrapping around the older woman's warm body, nice and tight. Ikra moaned when one slid across the small of her back. She caught another one as it caressed her cheek and gave it a loving squeeze.

"My, my," Ikra commented, softly touching Blossom face. The Powerpuff girl leaned into her touch and smiled blissfully. She could still feel the fleeting terror that had filled her heart. The thought of being apart from Aku forever was still heavy on her mind. Blossom sniffled and laughed weakly, a few tears rolling down her cheeks. Ikra cocked her head, wiping a tear away.

"You're crying?" She asked, "Blossom, dear...what's wrong?" Blossom bit her lip and shook her head. She just threw herself into Ikra's arms again. Behind the happy reunion, two minions stood somewhat awkwardly, trying to understand the picture before them.

"I..." Chamberlain started. He coughed, clearing his throat, "I'm sorry, my Lady, but..."

Demongo sighed and spoke up, "We were...expecting to see Lord Aku," Chamberlain nodded, though he had the strangest feeling that they were looking at Lord Aku. Ikra chuckled and her voice grew louder and lower.

"**Do you not recognize the face of the mighty Aku? Perhaps you were expecting this form,"** Ikra pulled away from Blossom and returned to her true form, that of the Shogun of Sorrow. Chamberlain and Demongo nearly screamed, dropping to their knees, rushing to be the first to bow to the master. Baku and Aku Blossom joined Aku at either side, the former with his arms crossed, the latter, her hands on her hips.

**"Rise, fools. Present yourselves to Aku!"** Baku barked, in his true voice. Chamberlain and Demongo rose quickly, the former composing himself enough to speak first.

"Greetings, Lord Aku. I am Chamberlain, the one who came first of those who serve you," he replied, bowing once more. Aku stroked his beard, looking down at Aku Blossom. She was mimicking him.

**"Chamberlain, yes...yes!" **Aku Blossom cried, appearing in front of Chamberlain and looking him over up close, **"Of course! I remember you...peerless on the battlefield, with loyalty that knows no bounds! You were the first of all my creations, were you not?"** Chamberlain nodded proudly. Aku turned to Demongo.

**"And you are?"** he asked. Demongo bowed deeply. The others could tell he was nervous; this was his first time seeing Lord Aku in person.

"I am Demongo, the Soul Collector, the last of my Master's minions, and the greatest of all his creations!" The incarnations of Aku traded a glance; Baku smirked when he noticed the glare on Chamberlain's face. Baku laughed and marched closer, inspecting Demongo.

**"Is that so? Tell me, is it true...did you succeed in killing the Samurai?"** he asked. Demongo stood upright and opened his mouth to speak. He closed it and lowered his head, shaking it.

"No, my Master, I was not entirely successful in killing the Samurai," he admitted. Blossom pushed by Aku. Demongo made eye contact with her, but quickly looked away.

Blossom tipped his chin up with a tentacle, "You know...everything we know about you is just hearsay, legend. I'd be interested to hear just what you are and what really happened," she pointed out. Aku nodded, sitting back as a throne rose up from the ground beneath him. The room around them changed entirely, becoming a massive throne room...with a ragged old couch directly across from the throne. Aku gestured for the others to sit.

Chamberlain bowed and took a space on the couch. Demongo sighed and threw himself down as far from the other demon as he could. Blossom looked up at Aku and cleared her throat. He stared back at her in confusion, a blank look in his eye. The Powerpuff girl crossed her arms and nodded toward his throne. Baku slapped his head and pointed at the throne when Aku showed no signs of understanding. Aku snapped his fingers and laughed.

**"Ah, yes! Of course!" **With a gesture, a second throne, sized properly for his beloved, grew from the ground. Blossom sat down gingerly, crossing her legs and relaxing. Baku leaned against the side of her throne, while Aku Blossom sat at her feet, resting her head on her lap.

**"Very good, we are all settled in and comfortable. Share with us your tale, Soul Collector," **Aku commanded with a broad sweep of his hand. Demongo cleared his throat and nodded.

"I won't...bore you with meaningless details, Master," He turned to Blossom, "Mistress, but, you see, I was born shortly after your, erm...defeat," The three incarnations of Aku bristled. Blossom started to run her mitt through Aku Blossom's hair, shushing them.

"That's enough...go on, Demongo,"

Demongo nodded, "You are too kind, my Mistress. As I was saying...the world was returning to the way it once was, albeit quite slowly. My human host, well...he had not fared so well in my Master's reign. His legs broken beyond repair and his body too weak to work, why, he was hardly a person at all when my Master was, ahem, forced to retire," Demongo steepled his fingers and sighed, closing his eyes.

"A young girl tended to my human host, perhaps out of pity or necessity, I can't say I know for certain. However, she cared for him. Feeding him, washing him...were it not for that girl, he would not have survived to that fateful day. You see, the man had been infected by my Master, a rather wicked disease that merely needed time to grow. And one day, he began to transform. In his fury, he struck down the poor girl, drawing the wrath and fear of the kingdom. As he continued to transform, becoming more demon than man, holy men and wizards across the land came to try to vanquish his sickness,"

"One magician, a very smart man, but...well not entirely together," Demongo chuckled. This part he could recall vividly, "He claimed that it was the man's soul, not the body that had been tainted. He got the emperor's permission and used rather...forbidden magic to extract the man's soul from his body. This is where things get interesting," Demongo was practically giggling now. Baku sighed and rolled his eyes. He yelped and jumped a few inches in the air, holding his backside. He whipped around and glared at Blossom, who only grinned and winked.

"Pay attention, Bay...I went through so much trouble to find him," She chastised him. Baku sighed and nodded, slipping onto the arm rest of her throne. Blossom smiled and rested her head on his side, practically purring when he started to stroke her hair the way she did Aku Blossom's.

Demongo hesitated, watching the two. He cleared his throat, "Yes, um, well...of course! Yes, my creation. You see, the magician had been wrong! The man's soul was, it turns out, quite pure. In fact, it alone was holding back the spread of the disease! In mere minutes, the dark power completely consumed the soulless body. They tried to destroy him, but, well it was too late," Demongo puffed his chest out proudly, "The Soul Collector had been born,"

**"Magnificent...but what of the Samurai? Stories left in your wake say you were the one to end his life, and yet you deny this?"** Aku asked, more confused than he had been before. Demongo nodded, making eye contact with Blossom once again.

"While it is true I ended the Samurai's mortal life, when I attempted to steal his soul, I found that it was...far too pure. I had stolen pure souls before but his...his wasn't just pure it was...I couldn't even touch it!" Demongo hissed. His fists were clenched, the bubbly blue fire rising from his head burning wild.

Blossom spoke up, "You couldn't steal his soul because it was filled with the Spirit of Righteousness,"

**"Of course..."** Aku murmured, nodded. Demongo nodded and sighed.

"Yes...well, in trying to steal his soul, I...tore a piece of it free. Even that small piece was enough to drive me to the brink of death. Being soulless myself, though, I couldn't die. Things get fuzzy, though, after he destroyed my body. I do recall our souls battling...and mine being utterly outmatched. We fell through a door of some sort...a door like the one the Mistress summoned before,"

"The Demon Gate," Blossom corrected him.

"Yes of course. We fell through the Demon Gate and into that crater. Eventually, my spirit couldn't go on and he was able to seal me within that coffin," Demongo sat back and crossed his arms nervously, "And then you came, my Mistress, and you killed the Samurai,"

**"WHAT?!"** All three incarnations of Aku yelled, launching to their feet. Blossom remained seated and shrugged, a mischievous little smirk on her face, **"You did battle with the accursed Samurai? What were you thinking, child? You could have been slain! You could have thrown away everything we'd worked for!" **Aku yelled, towering over her.

Blossom stared up at him, her eyes narrowing while their flames burned brighter. Aku swallowed and shrank when she flew up to his eye level.

"I am not a child, Aku, "she began, poking him in the nose, "and, yes, I fought the Samurai. And he nearly destroyed me, but look at me now!" Blossom held her arms out and was engulfed in power, "He made me stronger! He released the real me! My true self! And with this power, I killed him! He's gone now, for good," Blossom lowered her arms and let her power fizzle out.

Aku swallowed and reached out, brushing her hair out of her face. Blossom blushed, **"It would seem so, wouldn't it, Blossom?" **Aku murmured. Blossom smiled and kissed his nose. Laughing, the Deliverer of Darkness suddenly shrank and returned to his feminine form. Ikra stretched, kissing Blossom's cheek when she passed by on her way to the floor. The throne room spun and morphed, becoming a big living room once more.

"You've done well, Demongo. You have made me proud, by destroying the Samurai," Demongo began to speak up, but Ikra cut him off, "And you, Chamberlain...how did you come into the picture once more? I...don't remember what happened to you before," Ikra scratched her head and looked over at Baku and Aku Blossom. They both shrugged, just as confused.

Chamberlain rose to his feet and folded his arms behind his back, "When you were expelled from the Realm of Hatred, I remained behind, attempting to keep order in your kingdom, my Sovereign...ahem, Lord Aku. However, without you, it wasn't long until the minions left behind succumbed to our base instincts, giving in to hatred itself. I hid instructions to release me, and then sealed myself beneath the Blackstone City, waiting for your return," Chamberlain bowed once more.

"I found and released him," Blossom explained, approaching Chamberlain. He knelt down and bowed his head, "He helped me find Hookocho, the Prince of Pain, and...helped me overcome my own demons. I'd have never been able to free Demongo without him," Blossom glanced back at Aku, "They were both worth the effort, I know they'll serve us well,"

Ikra smiled and leaned down, tipping Chamberlain's head back. He tried to hold her gaze, but he bowed his head once more, his blush thankfully hidden by his mask, "Very well, you've both made me proud. We will discuss our plans moving forward...after our vacation is over," Chamberlain and Demongo both looked up, confused.

"Vacation?" They asked in unison. Ikra sauntered to the stairs, leading to the bedroom. Blossom had already gone up the stairs, dragging her feet as the adrenaline high from the previous days began to wear off, her fatigue catching up with her.

"We'll be retiring for a nap, don't make a mess boys," Ikra called back, then went up the stairs to join her love and her incarnations. Chamberlain and Demongo were left alone in the living room, staring blankly up the staircase where their Master had vanished.

"What...is a vacation?" Demongo finally asked.

Chamberlain scratched his head sheepishly and shrugged, "I am...unsure,"

"What do we do now..?"

"That...is a very good question,"


	72. Fun and Sun in Paradise

"**_Here's to the nights we felt alive_**

_**Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry**_

_**Here's to goodbye**_

_**Tomorrow's gonna come too soon,"**_

**Here's to the Night (Eve 6 "Horrorscope")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 37**

_Swish...swish...swish..._

The ceiling fan spun around lazily, setting a gentle backdrop to the soft snoring drifting through the dark bedroom. Sunlight trickled in through a cracked open window, bringing with it a tender breeze, caressing the occupants of the crowded king-sized bed in the center of the room.

Blossom laid in the middle, snuggled into Ikra's arms, with her tentacles draped over Baku and Aku Blossom. She buried her face in the older demon's chest, a light blush on her cheeks and a small trail of drool slipping from the corner of her mouth. Ikra was awake and blushing, cradling her precious Powerpuff girl, running her hands through her soft, long hair. Blossom purred between snores, refusing to wake, but occasionally snuggling closer.

"She's so pretty when she's sleeping..." Aku Blossom whispered, cuddling against Blossom's back. The tentacles draped over her seemed to move unconsciously while Blossom slept. Baku took a deep breath and sighed.

"What happened to you, Blossom?" he asked. Blossom was a hard sleeper, but twelve hours without stirring was abnormal, even for her. Ikra shushed her other selves and kissed Blossom's head.

"She'll say when she's ready...no need to rush her," she explained. Baku and Aku Blossom nodded and the three fell into silence once more.

_Swish...swish...swish..._

* * *

"Now, if I'm not mistaken, I just need to add a cup of blueberry and..." Chamberlain muttered to himself, slaving over a hot stove and a recipe book. Nearby, Demongo was sitting at a huge, ornate dining table, resting his chin in his hands and watching the other demon. After several minutes of silence, the younger demon cleared his throat and rose from the table.

"Why are you doing this again?" he asked. Chamberlain stood up straight and narrowed his eyes, refusing to look at the Soul Collector.

"His Lordship, the great and powerful Aku, has requested that I prepare a meal fit for the Lady when she has finished washing away the filth of her trip to the Underworld. Were you not also assigned a task to clean the palace...erm, house?" Chamberlain pointed out, returning to his cooking. Demongo grumbled and left the kitchen. After a few minutes of silence, a vacuum cleaner was running in the living room.

* * *

"Grrr..." the tiny predator crept around the corner, keeping her bright pink eyes peeled for any sight of her prey. The fiend had evaded her clutches for nearly an hour now, but she was patient. It had taken that time to get complete control of her current form, and now, there was nothing to prevent her coming out on top of their struggle.

The little orange and black kitten slipped around the side of the house, only to be attacked by a large black dog! She sprung out of the way, narrowly dodging the dog's teasing nips and bites. With an adorable growl, she flung herself at the dog, knocking it to the ground. The two rolled around, biting and nuzzling each other, giggling wildly.

From the front porch of the house, Baku and Aku Blossom watched in amusement, while Baku handed the last of his chocolate bar to his other self. He sighed in defeat when Blossom, still in kitten form, pinned Ikra, in dog form, to the ground. He glared at his counterpart, who stuck her tongue out.

"Alright, fine, you win. I think you both set me up," Baku whined, angrily resting his cheek on his hand. Aku Blossom snickered and took a big messy bite out of the chocolate bar.

"Nope, you just lack faith in our precious angel," Aku Blossom explained. She blushed and sighed, staring wistfully at the playing pair in the yard. Baku rolled his eyes, though he, too, was blushing.

"Shut up," he muttered.

Blossom leaped away from Ikra and got ready to pounce again. Just as she shot herself into the air, Ikra suddenly transformed back into a woman! She caught Blossom in her arms and cuddled her close, scratching her little ears.

"This was so much fun! You're learning how to use your powers so fast, my little Blossom! I have to admit, I'm quite impressed!" she cooed. Blossom purred and snuggled into Ikra's embrace.

"It's just as easy as using any of my other powers. Just a little hard to keep up if I can't concentrate..." she pointed out. Blossom squealed and collapsed in Ikra's arms, giggling wildly as the older woman tickled her fuzzy belly. Blossom's form quivered and shifted through shades of orange and black, until she gave out, collapsing in her true form, laughing and batting Ikra's hands away playfully.

"We'll just have to work on your focus then, won't we?" Ikra teased. Blossom giggled and threw herself at Ikra, pressing her lips against the older woman's fiercely. Ikra moaned in surprise, pulling Blossom into another warm hug and deep kiss. Ikra's eyebrows went up in flames, and small horns began to form on her head. Still, it was worth a momentary lapse in...

"Wh-Wait! Stop! No!" Ikra shrieked and fell back on the ground, laughing and fighting against a pair of Blossom's tentacles, now wrapped around her wrists and pulling her back, while Blossom tickled her belly and ribs with devious glee.

"Aw, c'mon, Ikra! What happened to your focus? You can do it!" Blossom teased. Ikra's form shuddered, but Aku managed to maintain his form, despite jovial protests.

"Stop her! Get her! Get her!" Ikra squealed. Baku was the first to react, shooting toward Blossom to save his other self. He yelped, tripping over a vicious swat from one tentacle, which caught him around the middle and lifted him up. Before Baku could put up a fight, another tentacle slipped under his shirt and began tickling him as well!

"Blossom! Hey cut it out! This isn't fair!" he cried between gales of laughter. Aku Blossom stared, blushing and laughing sheepishly.

"You guys have this so I'll ju-NO! Not me too! Stop!" Aku Blossom screamed as she was dragged into a pair of tentacles of her own, screaming and giggling the moment they attacked her sensitive body.

* * *

"Do you understand any of this?" Demongo asked, moving his piece on the game board. While the Lord and Lady were playing in the yard, the two demons had discovered a board game that Lady Blossom called "Candyland" which the two were now enjoying. Thus far, though, Chamberlain had won every game, and Demongo was starting to get frustrated.

The Grandmaster of War glanced out the window and shrugged, "I do not claim to understand the thoughts and desires of our Lord and Lady, Demongo," He drew his card, which, yet again, put him ahead of Demongo. The Soul Collector growled in frustration.

He gestured toward their rulers, "It makes no sense, Chamberlain! You've seen the Mistress's power! Together with the Master, how could anything stop them? Why play these silly games?" Demongo buried his face in his hands as, yet again, Chamberlain managed to win.

"I win, again," Chamberlain chuckled, "Would you like to know how?" Demongo nodded, peeking between his fingers. He watched Chamberlain shuffle the cards. The Grandmaster slowed down, showing Demongo how he had been stacking the deck the entire time.

"You filthy cheater," Demongo muttered drolly. Chamberlain chuckled again, setting down the cards.

"I could teach you to do the same," He nodded his head in the direction of their rulers, "It is my understanding, Demongo, that this is why they wait," he tried to explain. Demongo picked the deck up and, in trying to shuffle it, managed to fling the cards across the room.

"Who could possibly make a play against them, I wonder?" Demongo asked, "And how does...this nonsense stack any deck in their favor," Chamberlain was once again digging through the random games the Master had left for them. He found a new one, called Sorry. He handed the instructions to Demongo, while he set up the game board.

"That, I do not know, perhaps you should ask?" he suggested. Demongo looked out the window. The Mistress had the biggest smile on her face. She looked so different from the super-god that had pulled him from the clutches of the Samurai. She seemed...happy.

He sighed, "Perhaps another time..."

* * *

_Tick...tock...tick...tock..._

Aku looked up from his throne, reading off the time on the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. He'd merged Ikra and Baku and returned to his true form, while Aku Blossom took yet another phone call from Buttercup. Blossom lay in his arms, with her head on his chest, snoring softly. After a few hours of play, she'd laid down for another nap, this one in his lap. Aku couldn't complain, but he had to admit, he was a bit worried about her.

**"Sleeping so much...this is unlike you Blossom. What was it you once said? Early to bed, early to rise, makes a lady smart, pretty, and wise? Well..."** Aku chuckled and kissed her head. Blossom cooed and kissed his chest in return. He waited to see if she was awake, but her snores returned quickly.

He sighed, **"You are already all of these things...if you rest to improve yourself for Aku, you need not waste your waking hours. Already, he finds himself enamored with you, perhaps even more now than before," **Blossom's new form, her true form, as she explained, was fascinating as it was powerful. And it was very powerful. From the moment she stepped back into his life, Aku had been keenly aware of just how much power his beloved had unlocked. The Devil Blossom he'd unleashed on Townsville months ago paled by comparison.

**"You know, Blossom..."** Aku began, speaking to himself. He was sure she couldn't hear, but, if somehow she did, that would be alright. There was no need to disguise the truth, he'd done enough of that already. Aku sighed and hugged her close. Blossom purred and a smile spread across her face. The heart beating in his chest lit up like an ember.

**"All of my wildest imaginations, the sweet fantasies I spun for you to...they never came close to what you could really be. What you truly are," **Aku sighed, at a loss for words. He wanted to confess everything, he wanted to hold her, and kiss her, and tell her everything she deserved to hear. And this time he would mean it. This time, it would all come straight from his blasted heart.

When he finally found his voice, he confessed, **"You are more precious to me than anything I've ever known, Blossom...and I truly do love you,"**

_Tick...tock...tick...tock..._

* * *

Blossom and Baku walked along the beach, holding hands and wading through the gently rolling waves lapping at the shore. She sighed and stopped, staring off into the horizon. Baku frowned, giving her hand a squeeze and kissing her cheek.

"Something wrong, Blossom?" he asked. Blossom took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She sat down and dug her feet into the sand, hugging her knees. Baku looked back toward their house and frowned. He sat down next to her, shivering. The water was cold. He put his arm around Blossom's shoulders and rested his head against hers, "Sweetie? What's wrong?"

Blossom sighed again and glanced at him. It was still so strange seeing her eye fires flickering in the ocean breeze, Baku thought. "Did you really mean it?" she finally asked, breaking the silence. Baku blinked and looked away.

"Mean what?" he asked.

"Sweet fantasies you spun for me," Blossom repeated. Baku flinched. She had been awake after all, "Aku...how much of it was a lie?" she asked, just above a whisper. One of her tentacles slammed against the ground, suddenly, "Answer me!" she yelled. Blossom swallowed and reached over, turning his face, gently, to look her in the eye. "Please?"

"I never...Blossom, I..." Baku sighed and shook his head, looking down, "I never meant to lie..." he groaned and pinched his nose, "You don't understand! It's not as simple as lying and telling the truth! I..." he trailed off. Blossom frowned and looked away, back to the ocean.

"Did you mean anything you told me? Or was it all just a big lie? Just...to use me?" she asked, her voice cracking. Baku could barely hold onto his form. With a shudder, he swallowed the great lump forming in his throat.

"I..."

"You were controlling me...you made me...do what I did to Bubbles. You made me say the things I said to Buttercup. You were pulling the strings the whole time..."

Baku shook his head, "No, no, it wasn't like that. I...yes, I used you. That was what I wanted from the beginning. To make you into the perfect minion. To make you the ultimate weapon. To get my revenge through you. And if you had to be hurt to do it...it was..." Baku took a deep breath, "I thought it would be worth it, until I...until you were finally there,"

Blossom nodded.

"But, after being with you! After speaking to you, after watching you grow, after...after being close to you, I started changing. You saw it, you saw the change, right?" Baku asked, nearly begging. Blossom nodded. Baku growled and shapeshifted, becoming Aku once again.

**"I treated you horribly, Blossom, and for that I cannot; there are no words appropriate for explaining my regret, my sorrow. I only want all the happiness in the world for you. I want only to see you smile, I want to spend every day showing you that you are precious to me, that I...that I love you,"** Aku's voice trailed off. He sighed and held his head in one hand, while the other clutched his fiercely burning chest.

"Do you...really?" she asked. Aku nodded, "Then why are you still lying to me? You lied about the world ending. You lied about what I was. You lied about what you are! How can I know you aren't lying now?"

**"Because Aku could not bear to hide anything from you. Not anymore...the very thought of losing your trust, losing your faith...losing you is a thought I cannot even fathom. One Aku cannot begin to entertain!" **Aku barked, rising from the ground and pacing around the beach, still clutching his chest. Blossom watched him for a few minutes, then turned away.

"You lied about the Underworld. Tell me everything you remember," Blossom demanded. Aku stopped, taking a deep breath.

**"I've told you before, Blossom, I truly cannot recall the details of my life before I awoke on Earth. But...I can..."** Aku trailed off, wracking his brain to piece together the fragmented, foggy shards of memories, **"Aku was referred to as one of the Fallen, members of our race who refused the authority of the Vanguard. He sought to destroy all other realms. Before my rebirth on Earth, there is...even what memories I have, they are just a veil of suffocating wrath and hatred."**

** "There was...something...someone else involved. Something happened and Aku was expelled into the Mortal Realm and chased down, and nearly destroyed by the Vanguard themselves. The rest is exactly as I've told you...I swear it, every detail to the word," **Aku took a deep breath, barely able to breathe now from the blazing agony in his chest. With a strangled groan, he collapsed next to the Powerpuff girl once again.

** "Laying eyes upon you, Blossom...it was the first time Aku was truly able to see through his own numbing hatred, it was the first time...I truly felt happy. I was not equipped to understand it. Even now, I am struggling, child. You have awakened new, alien concepts in Aku's mind, in his heart. I was wrong to ever hurt you, Blossom...destruction and hatred were born from me, born within me. They were all Aku had ever known, before you. I..."** Blossom interrupted him, kissing him and wrapped her arms around his neck, her tentacles around his body. Aku began to shapeshift, trying to return to his Baku form, but Blossom stopped him, shaking her head.

"No...just be you. I love you, Aku,"

* * *

_Shhhh...shhhh...shhhh..._

The waves rode higher on the shore, like a cool blanket washing over the sweethearts laying in the warm sand. Blossom laid curled up against Ikra's side, her head on her chest, snoring softly. Ikra sighed and stared at her, running her fingers through her hair and softly caressing her flushed cheeks. Before she slipped into unconsciousness again, Blossom had asked Aku to take this form. Ikra blushed and smiled. Of course Blossom could be fond of this form, after all, she did help design it. She hugged Blossom tight and kissed her parted lips. Blossom flushed brighter pink and smiled, snuggling closer.

"It's your power, isn't it..." Ikra whispered, trailing her fingers along one of Blossom's tentacles. She giggled and moaned, squirming in her embrace. Ikra sighed, "So much power, even more than your father anticipated. It must be exhausting, especially when it's all still so new to you," She shivered and buried her face in Blossom's hair.

She, they, had felt it when Blossom unleashed her power. It had felt so close, despite being an impossible distance away. Uka, left behind in America, had also felt the surge of power racing across the planet. According to Demongo and Chamberlain, Blossom had completely destroyed the Realm of Hatred in a fury. Just what effect would it have on the Earth if Blossom let loose all of her might? Ikra shuddered and smirked, kissing her love again.

"Now it all makes sense...rest now, grow accustomed to the waxing and waning of your own might, make it second nature. And then..." Ikra grinned, "Then, nothing will stop us. Nothing will stop you, Blossom..." She blushed and cupped Blossom's cheek. Tilting her head back, she kissed her lips, "Who could dare to stand against you and your endless possibility? Your limitless potential?" She knew the answer, but Ikra couldn't help laughing softly to herself.

Once Blossom was ready, the doll wouldn't be able to save them. Not this time. Once she adjusted to her own strength, Blossom would become something greater than the goddess she was before. She would become an unstoppable force.

_Shhhh...shhhh...shhhh..._

* * *

The campfire crackled and popped. There were no crickets chirping, no insects buzzing around them on that star lit evening, huddled around the fire laughing and chatting excitedly. It was the last day of their vacation. In the morning, they would board a plane back to Townsville, back to the real world. Aku Blossom sat close to Blossom, feeding each other marshmallows. Blossom kissed Aku Blossom's cheek suddenly, licking a smudge of chocolate away from her face. Aku Blossom blushed bright red and giggled, slipping into Blossom's arms and returning her kiss eagerly.

"Ha..." Demongo sighed, watching the master and mistress make out by the fire. He turned and watched the masters other selves argue over the remaining hotdogs. He sighed again and munched the last bite of his dinner.

Across from him, Chamberlain nodded, in spite of himself. Try as he might to be understanding of the Lord and Lady, his own patience was wearing thin. He was the Grandmaster of War, a soldier through and through. This...vacation was needlessly long and boring and frustrating. He finally took a deep breath and rose to his feet, bowing, "My apologies, my Lord, my Lady, but I must inquire, what are we accomplishing by our continued...time wasting in this place? Were we not brought to this world to wage war against your foes? Were we not summoned to take over this pitiful place?" he bowed again.

Ikra sighed and bit off a chunk of her s'more. She responded softly, "There is a time for war and conflict, Chamberlain. We've seen how your frustration, Demongo's as well, and rest assured, this waste of time is necessary," She took another bite and her voice shifted to normal, **"You would mind your insolence in the future, both of you,"** Chamberlain and Demongo bowed their heads, muttering their apologies.

"It's alright, Aku, they have every reason to be curious," Blossom piped up, nodding and accepting the piece of chocolate Aku Blossom popped into her mouth. She munched for a moment before speaking again, "I promised Chamberlain a war. And there will be one, I promise you that," Her eyes lit up brighter, their light competing with that of the campfire.

"If I may, Mistress, what is the wait? Why do we dally here?" Demongo asked softly.

Blossom replied, "Part of it is because...this is the first time Aku and I have been away together, without interference from the outside. I just...wanted to enjoy that while it lasted," she narrowed her eyes and began to pulse with power, "Another reason is so I can adjust to this body. When we go back, I'm going to have to repress my power and shapeshift to look how I did before. I can't let anyone know about my true self yet,"

"But why, my Lady? With power such as yours and Lord Aku's, what is there to fear revealing yourself?" Chamberlain pointed out. Blossom narrowed her eyes and tightened her embrace on Aku Blossom.

"My sisters,"

"You...wait...what?" Demongo and Chamberlain were both speechless. Sisters?

"I have two sisters: Bubbles and Buttercup. They haven't developed as much as I have, and I'm sure they haven't unlocked their true potential yet, but...they possess nearly every power I do. Even with this power, I'm not sure I could defeat them if we just charge in. They've already beaten me once before..." she trailed off. Everything had gone silent. The demons were unsure how to respond. How to react. Not one, but two more beings with power like Blossom?

"So...we must move with caution," Chamberlain finally said, breaking the silence. Blossom nodded, "What then...is our priority? How do we proceed with such powerful foes opposed to us?"

Blossom rose and began to pace around the campfire, tentacles snapping and gesturing to emphasize her words, "That's not our only obstacle. When Bubbles and Buttercup defeated me before...they also dealt Aku a devastating blow," Ikra, Baku, and Aku Blossom all looked away in shame.

Demongo interrupted, confused, "A devastating blow? What do you mean?"

"Aku's lost most of his power," Blossom replied, "The world isn't afraid of him anymore because they believe Buttercup killed him. That, and the damage she did to me nearly killed him as well," Baku nodded, tugging at his hair.

"It's...most frustrating. I must remain hidden to avoid conflict with Blossom's sister, who alone possesses the power to slay me. But...hidden from the world, I can't inspire fear and demand reverence. I'm...in a rut, left with less than a fourth of my awesome might," he explained. Blossom nodded, then turned and pointed at Demongo.

"That's where you come in," she said. Demongo blinked and pointed at himself, "That's right...we're going to get you souls. Lots of souls, powerful souls," Blossom's entire demeanor changed, her serious expression becoming a wicked grin, fangs gleaming in the moonlight, "Not just physically powerful, no, you need politically powerful souls. We need to, bit by bit, infiltrate the system around us, the system holding back my power. One by one, we'll replace them. One by one, we'll take over. And when the time finally comes to reveal myself, reveal ourselves, the 'heroes' will find themselves all alone,"

Blossom giggled and held her arms out, unleashing a violent, pulsating pink aura around her, "And while we do that, we spread the message of Aku. We dig through the rank and file and find people willing to give their lives to Aku. We convert them from unbelievers to zealots. We make an army of minions from our foes. We turn their apathy to fear, and that fear into power,"

"What if they refuse?" Chamberlain asked. One of her tentacles shot out, smashing the ground next to him. Another lashed out and became a blade, stopping inches from his face.

"We kill them. And when the streets run red with the blood of my enemies, the others will learn to fear me. To fear us. They'll learn to serve Aku, one way or another," her malicious laugh was cut short by a yawn. Her aura cut off abruptly and with a small moan, Blossom fell backward into Aku Blossom's arms, snoring.

The campfire was put out, the mess cleaned up, and the tiny titan carried to bed by her beloved. Tomorrow was going to be the first day of a new life for Blossom. The peaceful smile on her lips belied the dreams churning in her mind. Dreams of revenge. Dreams of destruction. Dreams of death. Dreams of absolution. Tomorrow, things she'd only planned in dreams would begin to become a reality.


	73. Home Again

"_**I'm on the front line**_

_**Don't worry I'll be fine**_

_**The story is just beginning**_

_**I say goodbye to my weakness**_

_**So long to the regrets**_

_**And now I see the world through diamond eyes,"**_

**Diamond Eyes (Shinedown "_The Expendables_")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 38**

A single sparkle pierced the black expanse, stretching further than any eye could ever perceive, through time, space and everything within and without. In the depths of eternity, a single sparkle appeared and fell, like a teardrop.

It plummeted, seemingly forever, giving off its own eerie, radiant light. All around it, the darkness began to stir; eternity began to rumble. Two thousand, one hundred twelve hours it fell, until, finally, it collided with eternity.

A single ripple appeared.

It was small, at first, but quickly others followed.

All of eternity quaked. The ripples spread and grew.

Something had disturbed eternity.

Across the infinite expanse of everything, stars began to appear, flickering like fireflies. Something had disturbed eternity.

Now, eternity was watching.

* * *

The crew had gathered in the living room of Aku's hidden lair. Ikra was gone, merged with Baku once again. Demongo and Chamberlain had finished packing away the few things Blossom had brought with her, and were now sitting on the couch, watching as Blossom stood in front of Aku Blossom, staring at her wrist and taking deep breaths. She was preparing herself for...something.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, it's not fair. I can just keep wearing it and pretending-" Aku Blossom trailed off, a tentacle from her likeness gently brushing across her lips to silence her. Blossom smiled and gave her a brave nod.

"It's alright, Aku. I'll be fine. We need to play this safe, so...give me the bracelet," Blossom explained, her body starting to change. Her horns and tentacles retracted, her skin returned to peachy pink and the flames of her eyes went out. She was in her human form once again. Taking a deep breath and nodding, Blossom held out her hand. Aku Blossom looked down at her mitt and sighed. After a moment of hesitation, she took Blossom's hand. Her arm shifted, becoming like liquid as it transferred the bracelet back to its previous owner.

The effect hit Blossom like a freight train when Aku Blossom pulled her arm away. Blossom's eyes became unfocused and she quickly dropped to her hands and knees, mouth clamped shut and stomach churning. The other four gasped and started toward her, but Blossom waved them away.

"No..." she growled. Blossom slowly rose to her feet and took a deep breath. She slowly let it out and opened her eyes. Whatever weakness had struck her before was gone now. Blossom glowered at her restriction cuff. Baku opened his mouth to speak.

"Bleep!" shot from his lips when Blossom thrust her other arm out and transformed it into a black blade, her real skin showing. She stared at the bracelet, which made no indication it had noticed the change. Blossom looked down at her sword arm and swung it a few times. The bracelet remained silent.

Blossom smirked and looked up at the others, "It has no power over me anymore..." she whispered. Her smirk became a wicked, violent grin.

"I can't even feel it anymore,"

In the following hours, Aku Blossom and Baku fused into one body once again, and the group set out for the airport. While they went, Demongo and Chamberlain paid close attention to Baku and Blossom's explanations of the real world, rather, the modern world. Things like cards, planes, trains, and other technological advances were mind boggling for the ancient demons.

Just as they reached the edge of the woods, Blossom turned to Baku and then gestured to the two demons. Baku nodded and turned to them, clearing his throat.

"I forgot to mention, you two will need disguises," he explained. Chamberlain nodded, while Demongo scratched his head.

"Did you have something in mind, Master? Mistress?"

* * *

The rain over Townsville fell like a freezing black curtain, crashing into the city below with all its might while the blistering sun overhead grew bigger and brighter, until the city streets were steaming as the rainwater hit them. A figure sauntered out of the alleyway, her hands covered in blood that not even the downpour could wash away. She paused, turning to look up at the sun. Its eyes barreled down at her, glaring with all their fury. The figure snickered and covered her mouth, holding back a peal of laughter.

"Is that all?" she asked, walking through the desolate, ruined city with her arms held out, beckoning anyone to challenge her. The rain grew even more intense, but the water could touch her. The heat of the sun came down like fire, but she couldn't feel it. She stopped and closed her eyes, tilting her head up to the sky. She opened her eyes, realizing she wasn't alone.

She peered to her right, seeing the glistening form of Liberty Belle, outfit torn and tattered, streaked in blood. Still, she stood tall and proud. She peered to her left to see the dark form of Devil Blossom, covered in blood, her symbiote torn and trembling. Still, she stood defiant and proud.

"You've both come to stop me?" Blossom asked, addressing the two broken forms on either side of her. Liberty Belle readied her lasso, while Devil Blossom transformed her arms into swords. Blossom lowered her head and chuckled. When she opened her eyes again, they were on fire. Her skin melted away. She donned her crown and stretched her wings, bathing in the ethereal glow of her unbridled power. The two screamed and charged at her.

Blood sprayed against the broken down walls of the buildings around them. The ground was rent from the force of their blows. Thunder shook the ground and lightning shot across the skyline. Below, her dark power grew brighter and brighter, until it pierced through the air itself. She let their bodies fall, watching as they faded to dust and washed away in the rain.

Blossom looked up and grinned, her fangs gleaming, her eyes blazing.

The stars overhead lit up like fireflies.

Townsville began to crumble.

* * *

Blossom snorted and sat up, rubbing her eyes and peering around in confusion. A gentle hand wiped a trickle of spit from her cheek and a pair of warm lips pressed against her skin. She sighed, drinking in the smell of ember and smoke on his breath. With a small yawn, Blossom looked up into Baku's smiling face.

"Enjoy your nap?" he asked, eagerly accepting her offered hug. He wrapped his arms tight around her and gave her a good squeeze. Blossom couldn't stop smiling.

She sighed wistfully, "It was...interesting, to say the least," Baku kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back. She moaned and arched her back slightly when his loving touch passed over where her tentacles once were. Those spots, it seemed, were sensitive in her human form.

"Something wrong? You seemed to be dreaming," he commented.

Blossom nodded and explained, "That's just it...I've always had dreams, but never like this. They seem so surreal," she tilted her her back, recalling the dream with perfect clarity.

"Hm," Baku murmured, lost in thought. The two looked up, hearing a sound from the seat behind them. A teenager popped up over the back of the seat, bumping his head on the roof and grumbling. He rubbed his hair, running his hand through his slick blue hair, and narrowed his yellow and black eyes.

"Blast...if I may, my Lady, what you are describing sounds prophetic in nature. If I am not mistaken, Lord Ah...ahem, Baku is also prone to clairvoyant dreaming," he explained. Blossom nodded, noticing Baku's thoughtful expression. Before they could continue, another teenager, thinner than the other, leaned carefully over the seat. His black hair, streaked with blue, went every which way, almost like it was always moving. His eyes were an eerily bright shade of blue.

"Cicero! Keep your voice down!" he scolded, grabbing the other teen by his collar and pulling him back down, "Someone will hear you!" he hissed. The other teen, Cicero, pulled away and grumbled, buckling his seat belt again.

"Hush, Darien," he spat the other teen's name and rolled his eyes, "I am simply trying to assist my Lady," he explained. Darien slapped his forehead.

"And stop calling her that...you're going to give us away!" he muttered. While the demons turned teens argued, Blossom kissed Baku's cheek and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Is something wrong, Bay? You aren't talking much, it's odd," she smiled cheekily when he gave her a sarcastic grin. Baku sighed and cradled her closer, brushing her hair away from her face.

He shrugged and said, "It's not impossible that Cham, excuse me, Cicero is correct. I do, in fact, see the future in my dreams. I can even do it when waking, if I so desire," Baku tapped her lips playfully and smirked. She stuck her tongue out and kissed him again, "It's not impossible that you inherited my power, how long have your dreams been this way?"

He shivered when she breathed in his ear, "Since the day I met you." The two resumed cuddling, conversation dwindling to silence. Before long, Blossom drifted off to sleep once more.

* * *

High above the shattered, crumbling Townsville skyline, the stars in the sky began to glow brighter and brighter. The world had fallen silent.

The darkness below was suddenly pierced by an impossible, burning wicked light. From any corner of the globe, its magnificent glow could be seen, its heat could be felt. Overhead, the stars lit up hotter, as if to challenge the light.

Townsville continued to crumble. The buildings collapsed, as if they'd grown too tired to carry on. The street erupted and caved in, collapsing into rushing sewer water. The light at the heart of Townsville grew brighter and began to ascend.

The sky trembled. Lightning shot across eternity; thunder clapped through time itself.

The wicked light continued to ascend, until it took its place high in the heavens. Below, Townsville was collapsing into an abyss opened beneath it. Fire erupted from the darkness, the sewer water turned red and began to sizzle. The rain falling on Townsville like a sheet turned to ice, and the wind swept it up into a blizzard.

The stars grew brighter and burned hotter. They began to close in on the wicked light.

And then...

A loud, high pitched whine rang in the sky. It began to grow louder, becoming a shout, and then a scream. The scream shook the heavens, shook eternity. The wicked light burned brighter. Townsville sank deeper into the destruction consuming it. Devastation wracked the planet, consuming everything in fire and ice.

The stars above Townsville began to go out.

* * *

"Once again, we are now landing in Townsville International Airport. If this is your final stop, please stop by carousel 3 for your bags. And once again, thank you for flying..." the chipper voice over the intercom finally pierced Blossom's sleepy thoughts, stirring her suddenly. She sat up in mid-snore and looked around in confusion. She was in her seat, alone. The Powerpuff girl yawned and looked around, spotting Baku, Cicero and Darien getting their bags from the overhead storage. She rubbed her eyes and leaned over to look out the window.

She was back in Townsville.

"Hey, ready to go?" Baku called. Blossom nodded, sliding out of her seat and shuffling down the aisle. She rubbed her arms and shivered, glancing out at Townsville again. It was snowing already?

"Fascinating, I've never seen..." she heard Cicero commenting, getting yelled at by an older man for stopping to look out the window. Blossom smiled and yawned once more, stepping into Townsville International Airport. The group froze, seeing someone standing at the gate waiting for them.

"How did you get here? Isn't that illegal now?" Blossom asked, stepping out to greet her sister.

Buttercup shrugged, clearly antsy when Blossom stopped a few feet from her. "Maybe, I just snuck in though. They can talk to Dexter if it's a problem," she explained. Blossom giggled and winked.

"Well that is his job, right? Cleaning up our messes?" she joked. Buttercup laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, definitely," The two fell silent for a few minutes. Then, just as Blossom turned to talk to her group, Buttercup threw herself at her, pulling her into a tight hug. Blossom bit her lip, a lump forming in her throat. She hadn't expected...but...she really had.

"Welcome home, Bloss...I missed you," Buttercup whispered. Blossom returned her embrace and squeezed Buttercup tight. A few tears slipped down her cheeks.

"I missed you too, it's good to be home," she whispered. It had only been a week, but so much had happened. She'd learned so much, she'd changed so much.

But, it really was good to be home.


	74. Loss of Sensibility

"_**Now's the time**_

_**To rearrange your life**_

_**Live for something**_

_**Outside of your own mind**_

_**We all dream**_

_**The same dream every night**_

_**To burn the world that you call civilized"**_

**Alive and Well (Rise Against "The Unraveling")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 39**

Baku and Blossom said their goodbyes to Cicero and Darien, watching the two teens hurry off on their own, to wait back at Aku's lair. The couple met up again with Buttercup, Blossom taking her sister's hand with a cheerful smile. Buttercup returned it, even offering Baku a warm smile and a nod. He seemed shocked, but returned it, taking Blossom's other hand. Together, the three headed down to baggage claim.

"So who were those guys?" Buttercup asked, gesturing to where Cicero and Darien disappeared. Blossom and Baku traded a glance, the older answering first.

"We met them in Tokyo, they were visiting a friend, it seems," he explained.

Blossom nodded, "Yeah, we got to talking at the airport and, well, I guess we kind of hit it off. They're pretty cool, and they live here in Townsville!" she pointed out. Buttercup laughed and shook her head.

"Oh, cool! Man, what are the odds, huh?" the three laughed and hurried down the escalator to the ground floor. At the bottom, they were met by the others: Ms. Keane, the Professor, and a blue streak that was once Bubbles. Blossom squealed and giggled, catching her sister in a fierce, warm hug.

"I missed you too, Bubbles!" she managed to get out between her sister's shower of kisses and "I Missed You"s. When Buttercup finally managed to pry Bubbles away from Blossom, the redhead was swept up into another hug and kiss from Ms. Keane.

"We missed you so much, Sweetie! It's so good to see you again!" she cooed, giving her another kiss and a tight squeeze. The Professor cleared his throat, but before he could finish kneeling down, Blossom flung herself in his arms, hugging him tight. He bit his lip and buried his face in her hair.

"It's good to see you, Dad," she whispered, kissing him on the cheek. The Professor returned the kiss and hugged her tighter still.

"I missed you too, Baby. I'm so glad you're home," he mumbled in her ear. Blossom smiled, giving him another kiss. She glanced up, noticing Baku approaching an older demon. She gasped and grinned, practically bouncing over to him.

"Hi Uka-sensei! Did you come to pick up Baku?" she asked. Uka-sensei chuckled and slid his hands into his pockets, glaring at his nephew.

"That's correct. It was, however, a wonderful gift to see you as well, Blossom. I trust your trip went well and Baku behaved himself?" he asked. Baku grinned knowingly and Blossom returned the grin.

"Of course! It was great!" she exclaimed. Uka-sensei nodded, leading Baku away.

"I look forward to seeing you in class next week, Blossom. Enjoy the last of your vacation," he called. Blossom smiled and waved, before rushing off to join her sisters by the bag carousel. The bags hadn't started coming yet, so the three took a seat on one of the waiting benches.

Bubbles couldn't help staring at her sister, barely able to hide her bright grin. Blossom noticed, blushing and asking her what was wrong. Bubbles giggled and shook her head.

"It's nothing!" she insisted, "You just look so happy!"

Blossom sighed wistfully, nodding, "I feel great! The trip was great, but it's great to be home. Everything is just great!" she exclaimed.

"Great!" Bubbles and Buttercup cheered. The three giggled and hugged again, still overwhelmed with joy at being together once again. All three jumped when a bell went off and the light over the carousel started blinking. They started for a moment, then jumped to their feet cheering when bags began to slide down onto the carousel.

* * *

Once the bags had been collected, the five piled into the Professor's car and started on their way home. Blossom sat in the middle, still eagerly chatting with her sisters, going over the details of her trip. Obviously a good portion had to be...edited, for the sake of keeping her secret. But playing on the beach, cookouts, and board games were something they could all appreciate.

Ms. Keane peeked in the rear view mirror, smiling at the sight of the little girls so happy to be together again, "So Blossom, you must be tired. You'll want to go to bed early tonight, won't you?" she asked. Blossom perked up, shaking her head.

"I don't know! I have so many people I need to visit still! I want to meet up with Boomer at the library and I wanted to see Doctor, I mean, Miss Elise too!" Blossom mentioned. Ms. Keane nodded.

"That sounds fun! You'll be happy to hear that school will be starting next week, and Miss Elise will be taking the student counselor position," she said with a knowing smile. Blossom bounced in her seat, even more excited now.

"That's great! I definitely need to congratulate her now!"

* * *

After visiting and playing with her sisters for a few hours, Blossom left for the library. Aku wouldn't be joining her, instead staying in the Pit of Hate to go over the details of their plan with Chamberlain and Demongo. They had a long way to go, but, things were finally in motion.

She shot through the air, unable to control her grin. Despite the dark thoughts in the back of her mind, she truly was happy to be with her family again. With everything that had happened, it hadn't dawned on her just how much she really did miss them. Now, seeing them again, it was like a week of separation anxiety caught up with her and hit her all at once. She was eager to get home again and play with Bubbles and Buttercup some more, but first...she had a few more people to visit.

Blossom touched down at the library, only to be tackled by a darker blue streak. She laughed sheepishly, patting Boomer on the back and trying to return his hug. Unfortunately, he was hugging her so hard, he'd lifted her off the ground, making it hard to reciprocate.

"Hey! It's good to see you again, Boomer! Did you miss..." she trailed off, noticing that he was shaking. Blossom bit her lip and worked her way back to the ground, returning his hug and resting her head against his. He was crying.

"Boomer? It's okay...hey, it's okay, I'm back," she whispered, running her mitt through his oh so messy hair. Boomer shook with a barely restrained sob, tightening his hold on her.

"I missed you so much," he managed to stammer between ragged breaths. Blossom took a deep breath and let it out slow, trying to hold back tears herself. She tightened her already protective hug. Boomer gasped, surprised by just how much strength she was using.

"It's okay...I won't ever leave you again," she whispered, kissing him on the head. She gave him another reassuring squeeze, "I missed you too," she confessed.

Boomer pulled away, wiping his wide eyes and staring at her in shock. Somehow, he'd always been able to see through her disguises. Blossom smiled and held her hand out, giving him a wink and smile. He continued to stare, dumbstruck.

He could feel her power hiding just below the surface.

"What happened?" he asked in a low voice.

Blossom laughed, "I finally broke free," she explained, still smiling, still offering her hand. Boomer stared at her, a knowing smile slowly spreading across his lips. He laughed and took her hand, following her into the library.

* * *

Blossom stood outside the apartment, eager, but anxious. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door and waited, practically bouncing with anticipation. The door opened and Ms. Elise squealed, catching Blossom in her arms and swinging her around gleefully.

"You're back!" she cried, giving her a big kiss on her cheek.

"I am!" Blossom exclaimed, grinning and scurrying into the apartment, while Ms. Elise closed the door behind them. Blossom always loved her apartment. It wasn't very big, but it was cozy and always warm and welcoming. She plopped down on the love seat, sinking into the cushions, and kicked her feet, watching Ms. Elise rush around anxiously trying to put together a snack for her.

"It's okay! I'm not hungry, you don't always need to make me something," Blossom teased. Ms. Elise giggled and shushed her, offering her a glass of grape juice. Despite her claims, Blossom accepted it eagerly, taking a big sip as soon as it was in her hands.

"Mm...okay, the grape juice is fine, but sit down! I want to talk to you, not watch you run around," she said. Ms. Elise put her hands on her hips and cocked her head, giving Blossom a wry grin.

"Me run around? Have you watched yourself before, Sweetie? You like to work a whole room just telling me what you ate for lunch," The two laughed and Ms. Elise joined her on the love seat. Blossom eagerly snuggled closer to her, only resisting a moment before giving her another hug.

"I missed you, Blossom. You have no idea how boring Townsville is with you gone," Ms. Elise sighed, returning the hug earnestly.

"I didn't even realize how much I missed being here until I got back," Blossom confessed, laughing sheepishly, "It just suddenly hit me all at once. I'm so happy to see you again, and. AND!" she jumped to her feet in joy, "I heard you got the job! And you start next week! Things are going so great!" Blossom exclaimed.

Ms. Elise beamed, "That's right! The new school is already built, and classes will resume next week. Principal Durry just has an announcement to make tomorrow," Blossom tilted her head in confusion. Ms. Elise laughed and tapped Blossom on her chin, taking the empty glass back to the kitchen, "No spoiling the surprise! But, we discussed it with Uka-san, and we think it's the best course of action moving forward,"

Now, Blossom was seriously curious. Aku had been plotting something behind her back? Well, by the sounds of it, it was plotting that would benefit her, but she was still a bit hurt by the notion of her boyfriend and surrogate mother keeping secrets nonetheless.

"Well be that way then!" Blossom huffed, smirking, "I have a surprise of my own, and if you aren't sharing, than neither am I!" Blossom beamed when Ms. Elise spun around, suddenly interested. Blossom giggled and started for the door, but Ms. Elise called after her.

"You're leaving already?" she asked, almost desperate.

Blossom nodded and yawned, "It's been a long day, I'm gonna get an early night, I don't wanna be late for that meeting tomorrow, huh?" Ms. Elise nodded, tapping her cheek and staring at Blossom, deep in thought. Blossom winked and reached out to open the door. Ms. Elise started to speak, but, suddenly, a tendril shot out from under Blossom's dress and pressed against her lips, silencing her. Ms. Elise stared at the tentacle, her eyes wide as saucers. Blossom grinned, her eyes bursting into fire. The tentacle slid back up her dress, vanishing entirely.

"No spoilers, right, Doctor?" Blossom teased. Ms. Elise nodded, still speechless. The flames from Blossom's eyes went out. She smiled cheerfully and waved once more, "Night, Mom. I love you,"

* * *

The night went by too fast. Before long, the Powerpuff Girls were curled up with their father, watching their favorite show, TV Puppet Pals, before bed. During a commercial, Blossom recalled what Ms. Elise had said, that Townsville was boring without her. Curious, she turned to her sisters and spoke up, "So...did anything exciting happen while I was gone?" She immediately regretted asking, though, when she saw the way Bubbles and Buttercup's mirth drained from their faces. Bubbles rolled over, burying her face in the Professor's side, while Buttercup refused to look at Blossom, staring at the ground.

"I um...I hadn't...thought about...um..." she stuttered out. In all the excitement, whatever was suddenly bothering them must have been forgotten. Blossom swallowed nervously and asked again if anything happened. Bubbles began to cry; Buttercup took a deep breath and glanced at Blossom, shame in her eyes. Blossom cocked her head, confused.

"Someone...s-someone broke in, the night you left...they...someone took her," Buttercup stammered, a few teardrops rolling down her cheeks. Blossom was confused at first...but, then her heart stopped. Her blood ran cold and her eyes widened painfully. She could feel tears in her eyes, but she fought it back. No one would do that...it was impossible.

"No...no, you can't...you mean..." Blossom's hands flew to her mouth when Buttercup nodded. In a flash, Blossom shot from the couch and up the stairs, into her sisters' room. She rushed over to the dresser, unlocking a small white box. They never spoke about it, but they all cherished the box dearly. But, that was only for what was inside. Blossom held her breath, terrified to see the truth.

Steeling her nerves, she opened the lid and looked inside. The box fell to the ground with a loud crack and Blossom's hands flew to her mouth once more.

"No...no!" she gasped. Blossom bit her lip, screwing her eyes shut and struggling with all her might to hold back her sorrow. Too late, it spilled forth and she crumbled to the ground crying. The purple strip of cloth, the last thing they had to remember their baby sister, Bunny, really had been stolen.

How could someone do this? Who would do this?! She screamed internally, holding her head and fighting back breaking down further. They had treated their sister so terrible for the few hours she'd been alive. And still, she'd given her life to protect them, to save them. The girls had cherished and treasured that last remnant ever since that day. How could anyone be so heartless to take it away?

She looked up, hearing the Professor slip into the room. He crouched down and caught her in his arms, petting her hair and shushing her.

"It's not fair! How could they!?" she sobbed. The Professor shook his head.

"I don't know, Honey...I'm sorry,".

* * *

The streets of Townsville, late at night, were rarely home to much activity. Even on bad nights, most criminals preferred to stay in for the night. Only career criminals even dared to disturb the sleep of the city's loyal protectors. That isn't to say crime didn't exist at night. Far from it, even on that night, when the Utonium family was celebrating the return of its oldest daughter, a group of thugs were meeting to discuss a turf war with the notorious Gang Green Gang. Since gaining new members in the wake of Devil Blossom's assault, the gang had moved from petty crooks to a real threat to the more hostile thugs of Townsville.

That night, as they huddled around a fire in a trash can, the crooks, young and old, discussed a way to get rid of the green nuisance. One young lady heard the ghost of a snarl, a vicious sound carried in the still night air. She whipped around, staring into the night with wide, frightened eyes.

"Guys?" she called. No one responded, they were too lost in deluded, self-serving fantasies about a turf war. There it was again! She shuddered, stepping away from the warm, safe glow of the fire to peek around the corner. Her scream of terror was cut abruptly short. That got her colleagues' attention. They looked up, readying anything that could be used as a weapon. Her body hit the ground with a wet thud, before being dragged around the corner.

"What the fuck?" one of them asked, taking a tentative step toward the entrance to the alley. Then, they all heard the sound. A feral, primal growl, so fierce it pierced the very night itself. A great dark form appeared from the shadows, its burning eyes glowing like stars. A monstrous creature, with fangs and claws like razors. Its tail whipped back and forth, almost playfully, though its mirth didn't reach its fiery eyes. One thug dropped his broken bottle and turned to run. Like lightning, the beast shot forward, colliding with him and tearing him apart like paper. The beast looked up and growled.

The thugs trembled in fear. The orange-maned monster seemed to be grinning.

* * *

Blossom shushed Buttercup, who was yawning yet again. Her sister rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out. The families of Townsville were gathered at the new elementary school, listening to a speech from Principal Durry regarding the reopening of the school and how this break would affect the curriculum and progress of the students moving forward. Thankfully, this time it seemed they would only have to take an extra two weeks into the summer, rather than having to repeat an entire year.

After having to take two years of kindergarten due to city-wide destruction, the girls were happy to hear they would be moving on to second grade next year, as long as the city managed to stay in one piece that long. Principal Durry opened for questions, answering the parents and students' concerns alike. As the meeting drew to a close, she snapped her fingers.

"That's right, I have one more piece of business to discuss before I let you all go back to enjoying your impromptu vacation," she cleared her throat. Blossom noticed that she seemed nervous, and was preparing herself for something. This must have been what Ms. Elise mentioned!

"I would like to inform you that, I have greatly enjoyed the opportunity given to me to work with the faculty of Townsville Elementary, and moreso, the joy of working with the wonderful children herein. However, it is with a heavy heart I must inform you that I will not be returning as principal next year," A dull roar of murmuring broke out in the crowd. Blossom stared wide-eyed at the principal. Principal Durry seemed to notice, making eye contact with her. She was mouthing something.

"Not to worry though, I am leaving my office to someone I know is more than qualified. I am pleased to announce that, as unanimously decided by the school board, I will be leaving my position to none other than Mr. Uka," The low roar became an uproar in an instant. Concerned parents and furious students announced their disapproval of the decision. Blossom's mouth fell open. The way Principal Durry handled the comments...she knew this would happen.

They knew this would happen.

"I understand you have concerns. Yes, Uka-san is a monster, but he is an upstanding citizen and a brilliant instructor! I know, as does the school board, that he is the most qualified person to leave thi-" Principal Durry was soon drowned out by the commotion. Somewhere, someone started shouting "No More Monsters!" and soon it was taking over the crowd. At the other end of the room, someone started to scream "Remember April!", which was swept up even quicker than the first chant. Principal Durry backed away from the podium.

The girls and their father looked around in confusion. The crowd was getting out of control, Blossom realized. Chairs were getting knocked over, children were crying, parents were screaming. The chanting was getting louder. Blossom looked up at Principal Durry and the two made eye contact once more. Principal Durry put her finger to her lips, then resumed her worried facade.

Mr. Green rushed to the podium. Renowned for his charisma and people skills, he tried to calm the crowd, but they wouldn't have it, "Everyone, please. Your concerns are noted, but remember this is about the children and ensuring they receive the best education available. I understand you are worried, however,"

"NO MONSTERS!"

"REMEMBER APRIL!"

Bubbles grabbed Buttercup's hand. She, in turn, grabbed the Professor's and Blossom's. It was sick, watching how they just ignored Mr. Green. If anything, they seemed to be getting angrier.

"Please, everyone just calm down. This was voted on by a staff of your peers! An entirely human group chose Uka-san as Ms. Durry's replacement! I assure you, everything will be alright. Your children will be taken care of, and your concerns will be-"

"NO MONSTERS!"

"REMEMBER APRIL!"

"Everyone, please just-" And like that, something went wrong. Something surged through the crowd like a disease. Like a floodgate breaking under pressure, something in Townsville snapped.

The gunshot rang out over the roar of the crowd.

Peace and sensibility was lost when Mr. Green hit the ground.


	75. Fear and Panic

"**_The heart is something you can't control_**

_**We either choose to follow or be left on our own**_

_**So we're leaving here on a less-traveled road**_

_**As desperate cries grow louder,**_

_**I know we're getting close,**_

_**Getting close,"**_

**Voices Off Camera (Rise Against "Revolutions Per Minute")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 40**

Bubbles screamed, though even she was barely heard over the now violent crowd. Chairs were thrown, children were crying, another gunshot went off. People were panicking; people were getting braver. Blossom and Buttercup managed to fight their way through the crowd, escaping onto the stage where Mr. Green was laying, clutching his chest. The dark stain on his shirt was quickly spreading.

"Barthandelus, relax, you're fine..." Principal Durry assured him, pulling his hand away to get a better look at the wound. Mr. Green moaned and hissed in pain. Though, thanks to her x-ray vision, Blossom could see that it seemed nothing important had been hit.

"Mr. Green! Are you okay? Who did that?! Why would someone do that?!" Buttercup barked, torn between worry over her teacher and outrage at the now furious crowd. The violence was getting worse, the chanting and screaming getting louder. Another gun was fired, the doors flew open and a group, chanting "No More Monsters!" and "Remember April!" marched out of the building.

Mr. Green bit his lip, but when he spoke, his voice came out strained, "Ugh...I'm...I should be fine...just in a lot of pain. Need more than a bullet to kill me, it's okay girls," he hissed, but nodded thankfully while Principal Durry peeled the jacket away from his wound.

"You need to stop them, girls," Principal Durry explained, fixing Blossom with a piercing stare. Blossom nodded, rising to her feet, pulling Buttercup up with her.

"This is getting out of hand..." she muttered. Just how far would they go? What did they hope to accomplish anyway?

Buttercup clenched her fists and glared at the open doors. Her lips pulled back in rage.

"Those idiots! What were they thinking?! How could they...to Mr. Green of all monsters!" With another growl, she prepared to shoot off. A nearby door flew open; Blossom caught Buttercup by her ankle and dragged her over to their commanding officer.

"Dexter, what's going on?" Blossom asked, watching closely while Dexter fiddled with some kind of portable holographic terminal. The two were joined by Bubbles and Professor Utonium, the latter sheet white, trying to comfort the former. The boy genius shuffled through a few incoming reports, growing more concerned with each one he read.

"This is impossible," he muttered, "It doesn't make a lick of sense!" Dexter paused and scratched his chin, glancing up at the Powerpuff Girls. He looked back to his terminal. He had an incoming call from Agent Honeydew.

"She's involved, then..." he muttered. Dexter cleared his throat, "This is getting out of control too quickly. I don't know how, but the commotion that began in this building is spreading through the city. I know Principal Durry's announcement was broadcast over the radio...ugh, of course, I'm so stupid," Dexter pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath.

Buttercup caught him off, "Just spit it out, Genius! What's going on? Why are these people acting like..."

"Like animals," Blossom finished, crossing her arms and glancing back at Mr. Green. Bubbles slid out of the Professor's arms, piping up to object.

"Hey! Animals would never do something like this! This is awful!" she protested.

"Yeah...they're acting like..." Buttercup trailed off. She ground her teeth and swallowed another snarl, "They're acting worse than monsters," she spat out.

Dexter nodded, perusing another report, "Apparently, they aren't the only ones. There was another incident at the library when the announcement was made. And another at a gas station of all places. There are other incidents, and they're spreading," Dexter put away his holo-terminal and crossed his arms, turning to the girls.

"Something about this announcement, that their children would be placed in the care of a monster...no, that a monster was being given a position of power. Something about that has Townsville terrified. They're panicking, and those panicked groups are coming together. I just received a message from Agent Honeydew. There's a demonstration of some kind further down town. There's a fire near the high school. And other people are taking advantage of this,"

"Criminals you mean," Professor Utonium interjected, his fears confirmed by Dexter's report. Before the girls were born, Townsville was a hotbed for riots and criminal activity. That panic and fear didn't go away when the girls appeared. It was turned on the girls, and when they overcame it, it just hid for a while. With a new trigger being pulled...Townsville was back to its old ways.

Dexter sighed and nodded, "I have incoming reports for robberies and assaults that the police just can't keep up with," he explained, "The police are still hurting from Sedusa's attack before. They don't have the manpower to defend an entire city from itself!"

"That's why we will be expected to fill in for them," a new voice called. The girls looked up, spotting Agent Honeydew, with the Rowdyruff Boys in tow. They hadn't made it to the conference. Boomer smiled and waved the moment he saw Blossom. She gave him a brief smile in return.

"Ah, Agent Honeydew. Yes, I was just getting to that point," Dexter nodded to the girls, "Honeydew and myself will be assisting the six of you in trying to settle the chaos spreading through Townsville. I don't know how it spread so fast, but we must be swift in correcting this madness!"

The girls nodded. After saying their goodbyes and good lucks, the kids stopped to check on Mr. Green one more time. He gave them a brave smile and sent them on their way. In a flash, the six were off, into the city.

* * *

"I've never seen it this bad...even..." Blossom whispered, staring at the city with wide eyes.

Brick sneered, cutting her off, "When you tried to kill everyone? It was pretty bad then!" He flinched and pulled back when Buttercup was suddenly in his face, grabbing him by his collar.

"Brick, shut up! Don't you dare bring that up now!" she spat in a low, dangerous growl.

He looked away, swallowing the nervous lump in his throat, "...My bad, sorry BC," he apologized, keeping his voice down.

"They keep saying the same thing, why? They almost sound like robots!" Boomer pointed out, pointing down at a protest group.

"Really mad and scared and angry and scary robots!" Bubbles exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air for emphasis.

"Yeah!" Boomer replied with a nod. Buttercup pulled away from Brick and took several deep breaths. Still, she couldn't stop growling, nearly glowing with crackling power.

"I dunno, but we have to stop this! It's nuts! And if I find the guy who shot Mr. Green-" she snarled, cut off suddenly by Blossom putting a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll bring them in to the police," Blossom finished for her, in a firm voice. Buttercup whipped around, throwing her hands out.

"What?! But...they could have...what if they...you're right. Sorry, I'm just so mad!" She took another deep breath and closed her eyes. Together, she and Blossom counted to ten. When she opened her eyes, she nodded and sighed.

Bubbles joined her sisters, taking Buttercup's hand and rubbing it soothingly,"Me too, Buttercup...but, Blossom's right. They need to go to jail for what they did!"

"Or something! Look at the city! Some idiot shooting Mr. Green, the only cool teacher in the world, started all this! This!" Butch shouted, his voice getting higher and quicker with each word. His entire body was shaking, and the left side of his face started to tick.

"You're twitching, Butch," Bubbles softly warned him.

"Huh? Oh...thanks..." He settled down, though his eye kept twitching. Looking around at the others, Buttercup nodded and crossed her arms.

"Where should we start?" she asked, turning to look at Blossom. The redhead was taken back, suddenly put on the spot. She pointed at herself, just to clarify.

"Huh? You're asking me?" she asked. Buttercup nodded, looking down at the city in defeat.

"...Yeah, I'm too mad to think straight. And we all know you're the better leader, so what should we do? Leader Girl?" She gave Blossom her most confident smile, even if it was tainted with fury. Blossom tapped her chin and bit her lip. Her heart was fluttering and her stomach was doing flips.

"...Let's split up. We should be able to stop the more dangerous crimes alone, and we'll be able to cover more ground this way. Just in case, though, keep your ears peeled. If you get in trouble, scream or yell so someone can come to help you. We'll meet back here in a few hours, so we can check in with Dexter and Honeydew. Everyone got that?" She turned, addressing the others. As expected, Brick rolled his eyes and glared at her.

"That's such a stupid plan. We need to catch the punk that shot Green!" he shot back.

"And we will! But we need to protect the city first and foremost," Blossom explained, gesturing toward the city. As if on cue, there was a scream and a crash, emphasizing her point.

"Blossom's right, there are a lot of innocent people who are going to get hurt because a few people got scared and took it out on everyone else. It's our job as heroes to save them, even from themselves!" Bubbles explained, floating away from the group and looking down at the city with a distant look in her eyes. Blossom noticed, but didn't say anything. She'd noticed Octi under Bubbles' chair in the auditorium.

"Wow, that was awesome, Bubbles!" Butch said in awe.

"Thanks!" Bubbles beamed, turning to smile at him. Blossom noticed it didn't reach her eyes.

Buttercup slammed her fists together to get everyone's attention. She pointed at the city and said, "Alright, we've got a plan, let's do it!"

"Right, let's roll everyone," Blossom called. The six split up, shooting out across the torn city.

* * *

Blossom dodged a gunshot when she landed. She'd long since lost track of how many times she'd been shot at in the last two hours. Compared to Townsville as it was now, the Realm of Hatred had been a walk in the park. She narrowed her eyes, closing in on the group of people—ranging from teens to adults—beating on another person, a teenage boy. She cocked her head. Something way familiar about him...

"Get out, monster!" One lady screamed, throwing a brick at her. Blossom batted it aside, spraying the sidewalk with dust and dirt. The rioters began to panic, but the one with the gun turned it on her again.

"You...this is all your fault! Townsville was just fine without you! Now there's fucking meta-freaks everywhere! Now there's fucking monsters everywhere! You...you're the devil! REMEMBER APRIL!" he screamed, pulling the trigger, shooting her between the eyes. Blossom's head shot back and she stopped her menacing advance.

The rioters gasped, staring in anticipation. Blossom lowered her head, still glaring at them. The bullet slid off her forehead and fell to the ground harmlessly.

"You know," Blossom began. Before he could pull the trigger again, she launched herself at him, slamming him against the wall, gasping for air. His breath became a strangled croak, blood streaming from his stomach. She pulled away and threw him down. The rioters screamed, turning to run. Blossom slashed the gunman across the face, dropping him dead to the ground. Her serious, deadly look faded, replaced with a wicked, devilish grin.

As she advanced on the others, she took a moment to lick the blood from her sword arm.

"I'm not the devil. Don't kid yourselves," she laughed, flames rising up from her eyes, "I'm something so much worse. I'm something real!" She laughed wildly as she launched at them, tearing them apart with reckless abandon. When one started to run, she changed her arm to a hammer, smashing out her knees, and then back into a sword to impale her through her head.

In mere minutes, the alleyway was running with blood, all but two of the humans lying dead and mutilated. The boy who had been assaulted sat up, wiping blood from his bruised face, staring in horror.

"Oh God, you really are a m-monster!" he managed to gasp. Blossom turned to him, raising her eyebrow.

"Is that how you greet the person who saved you?" Before he could respond, her arm shot out like a lance, through his chest. She pulled the lance back and shifted her arm into its human shape once more. The last rioter stood up and approached her, looking around at the corpses. Blossom glanced up at him and gestured to the dead bodies.

"Well?" she asked. With a nod, the teen took a deep breath. He opened his mouth and the breath became a vacuum. Sparkling phantom light rose up from the bodies, only to be quickly consumed in the monster's maw. He licked his lips after devouring the last one and sighed.

"My, my...I'd forgotten how wonderful souls were," he said with a giggle, his human form melting away completely. Demongo followed Blossom as she checked on the bodies, "I must inquire, my Mistress, while I appreciate the souls you've given me, aren't you worried you'll be discovered?" this was the fourth such group Blossom had mutilated, feeding their souls to the Soul Collector. He now had a decent collection, enough to begin fusing and empowering.

"No, I'm not actually," Blossom admitted, wiping the blood away from her arm, though not before stopping to taste it again, "Mmm..." she moaned. She snapped her mitt, getting Demongo's attention, "Get rid of the bodies. I have to meet back with the others," Demongo nodded, stretching out his fingers and vaporizing the bodies with streams of white light.

"Was this part of your plan?" she asked, glancing back at Demongo. He cocked his head.

"My Mistress?"

"The riots...they're a nice change of pace, and I know Aku had been planning something with my mother..." she trailed off. Demongo seemed even more confused.

"I had nothing to do with these events. Though, I can't complain with the result," he confessed. Blossom nodded, shooting off to find the others. If Aku wasn't responsible for these strange, almost planned riots throughout Townsville...than who was?

* * *

"It's getting worse..."

"I agree, Honeydew..."

What should have been an afternoon of panic, continued into the night. Before long, it had been three days and the attacks were only getting worse. First, it was monsters, but, as Blossom saw on the first day, it was spreading to anyone who wasn't normal. Meta-humans were quickly thrown under the bus, turned to victims of violence. And, due to the Meta-Human Regulation Act's strict policies regarding meta-humans, defending themselves could only make things worse.

"How did this happen? Townsville has always been peaceful, to an almost disturbing extent! It doesn't make a bit of sense..."

"That's what I noticed after moving here...what if, this was all just under the surface? Professor Utonium said things used to be this way,"

"I would surely hope not!"

Along with the riots and criminal activity, a new threat was sweeping through the city. People were vanishing entirely. Entire rooms drenched in blood, but completely devoid of bodies. The body count was rising at an alarming rate. If the city's localized superhero team couldn't get it under control...it was just a matter of time before the military was forced to step in.

"Haven't you noticed something, Dexter? Yes...it's chaos in the streets, but look here. Doesn't this seem like a pattern to you?"

"...Oh my gosh, you're right! Someone really is behind all of this! What...do you know what they might be planning?"

"Not a clue, but it can't be good. Hm? What's this...oh no,"

Something big was brewing on the horizon. When Thursday came and a massive power surge hit the city, knocking out most of the electricity in the region, any notion that the infighting would be settled peacefully died. The library ended up burnt to the ground; the famous Townsville Stadium collapsed in on itself. And still, something bigger loomed over Townsville.

"What's that? No...that's next Wednesday!"

"We have to do something about this. I'll get in contact with the Commander, and see what we can do. But, we cannot let the kids know,"

"What?! But, the Powerpuff Girls..."

"Dexter, we can't worry them. They have enough on their plate keeping the citizens from eating each other alive. This has to be left to the two of us. Do I have your cooperation?"

"...Of course, Agent Honeydew,"

* * *

Saturday, November 24th, Blossom found herself wandering along the pier near Townsville Bay. They'd gotten a distress call, but so far she couldn't find anything out of the ordinary. A few times, though, she got the distinct feeling that she was being watched, or followed. Even pushing her power beyond her bracelet's supposed limitations, she couldn't find any evidence that she wasn't alone.

"Not Aku," she muttered, passing by a seaside warehouse. He was just as eager as she was to figure out who was behind this attack. After nearly an hour of questioning her sister, some of which may have involved tickle torture, Bubbles had confirmed that Octi had nothing to do with the riot. She was as in the dark as Blossom herself was.

Blossom hated being in the dark. There had to be a hint, a clue somewhere to figure this mystery out. Sighing, she crossed her arms and gazed out at the ocean, deep in thought.

_Crunch..._

Blossom perked up, looking over her shoulder. Footsteps? Someone was nearby. She scanned the area with her x-ray vision, but...

_Crunch..._

Blossom whipped around and took several steps back, holding up her mitts in defense. Someone was here, near her, watching her. She resisted the urge to shapeshift. She now understood why Aku seemed to do it for every little thing, and she'd definitely learned to respect his control more. A few times, he'd startled her and her natural instinct had been to transform into something small and easily hidden. There were...incidents involving her bracelet they'd had to deal with, thanks to that.

"Come out and I promise not to hurt you," Blossom called, whipping around again. She heard a soft voice chuckle and turned again. There, at the other end of the pier, was a woman, maybe twice her height, with shaggy black hair and strange, tattered clothes, staring at her.

"Who are you?" Blossom asked, standing up straight. Somehow, the newcomer didn't seem intimidated. No...if anything, the way she stalked toward Blossom, the way her amused smirk suddenly became a grimace of hate, the way her fists clenched and relaxed...Blossom realized she was the one intimidated, "Answer me!" Blossom demanded. The fear showed in her voice.

"I'm no one anymore," the newcomer growled. In a flash, she was in front of Blossom, fist pulled back. Now Blossom could see into her wide, vicious green eyes, "ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!" Blossom's power surged well beyond her legal limit, but the newcomer's blow was too fast, and struck her too hard. She went flying, skidding along the pavement, until she crashed into the side of the warehouse. Blossom groaned and pulled herself away.

"OH!" she screamed, diving to avoid another lightning fast attack. The newcomer spun on the spot and kicked her in the side, sending her flying out over the ocean. In the time it took her to catch her breath, the mysterious attacker caught up to her. Blossom's surprised scream was cut short; the attacker plunged her head under the water, holding her effortlessly.

Blossom kicked and fought, increasing her power with every second. Still, the attacker was unfazed by anything she tried. Blossom's eyes snapped open and she fired her heat rays off at the attacker. The attacker dragged her out of the water and hurled her back to the pier. Blossom crashed into the attacker's knee and dropped to the ground, gasping for air.

"How does it feel? To be weak and helpless? Are you afraid?" The mystery woman asked, stomping down on Blossom's back. She gasped a breathless scream and struggled under her boot. Blossom's tentacles tore from her back and batted the attacker away. She rose to her feet, snarling. Her eyes were on fire, her tentacles were snapping like whips. She shifted her arm into blade and continued powering up.

"I am not weak! And I am not afraid!" Blossom charged the attacker, swinging at her with all her fury. The mystery woman caught her blade in her hand and smashed her across the face with a vicious right hook. The attacker stomped her into the ground again, catching each of Blossom's tentacles in her hands and began to tug at them.

A new pain, one she'd never felt before, shot through her. Blossom's arm shifted back to normal; she threw her head back and let out a bloodcurdling scream. The newcomer stomped down harder and tugged on her tentacles once more. Blossom screamed and fired off her heat rays, tearing into the pavement.

"You are pathetic!" the attacker snarled, picking her up off the ground and smashing her up against the warehouse, "But you won't be forever...I can't let you get away with it, I can't let you ruin any more lives! I can't let this happen...I'm going to kill you, and then this will all be over!" the newcomer screamed, kicking Blossom through the wall.

Blossom sat up. The newcomer stomped on her stomach. Blossom screamed breathlessly, coughing up blood. She took a deep breath and forced her eyes open. Her blood went cold, she was staring down the barrel of a weapon she didn't recognize.

"Just one shot...one pull and it's over...it's all over," The newcomer took a deep breath and licked her lips. The weapon began to power up, the end glowing fierce white. "I...will...kill you. And this nightmare...just pull the trigger and the nightmare stops...pull the trigger..." The weapon started to shake. The attacker pressed the burning barrel against Blossom's cheek. The redhead trembled, a tear streaking down her cheek. The newcomer gasped, pulling the gun away and taking several steps back.

"Dammit...no...no, God dammit! You're a monster! I need to kill you! You're a fucking monster! The entire world is over because of you! It's all fucking over! NO!" She pointed the gun at Blossom again, but it quickly lowered. "No...you aren't...not yet...not the same...God dammit...DAMMIT!"

"Blossom!?" The two looked up, hearing Boomer's desperate shout.

"Blossom! We're coming!" Buttercup echoed. Peering through the walls, Blossom saw her sisters, the Rowdyruff Boys, and Baku rushing over to the building. The door was blasted from its hinges and light poured in. While Bubbles and Buttercup rushed to her side, Boomer and Baku stood between her and the newcomer.

"Who are you!? GET AWAY FROM HER!" Boomer screamed, his body crackling with electricity. Blossom had never seen him like this, every bit of goof was gone from him. And Baku...Blossom could see it was all Aku could do to control his form. He was practically snarling.

The newcomer's hands dropped to her sides. Blossom was amazed. This woman was able to overpower her and thrash her without breaking a sweat. But, now she had just lost her will to fight? With a defeated scream, the newcomer turned and ran. Boomer started after her, but was beat by Buttercup and Bubbles, shooting off like bullets, his brothers close behind.

Boomer and Baku went to Blossom's side. She still had tears running down her cheeks, but...

"Blossom?" Boomer asked. Baku knelt down beside her and gave her a tight hug.

"What is it?" he asked. Blossom shivered, then started laughing, collapsing in his arms. Baku and Boomer exchanged a glance. Blossom could only laugh, holding the place on her cheek where the gun had been pressed.

_I won't let you get away with it_

* * *

Following the attack on Blossom, the riots began to settle down. By Sunday afternoon, everything seemed to have returned to normal. It was, strangely, as if nothing had ever happened. School had been pushed back to Wednesday, hoping that, by then, things would be settled at last.

However, while the kids relaxed, the city seethed. Damage had been done, and even if the radicals were dead or imprisoned, there was a current running beneath Townsville. Others: monsters and meta-humans, weren't welcome. As Wednesday drew closer, Dexter and Agent Honeydew raced against the clock.

Something big was coming. Something none of them could have ever prepared for.


	76. A Sister Twisted Pt 1

"**_My hands are soaking in the blood of angels_**

_**On broken wings they collapse, **_

_**Will I see the break of day?**_

_**Dark clouds exploded and torrents of rain fell**_

_**All these lost halos wash away"**_

**To Them These Streets Belong (Rise Against "Siren Song of the Counter Culture")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 41**

Compared to the week leading up to it, that chilly Tuesday evening was calm and peaceful. The city streets, covered in the first heavy snow of the Winter, had fallen silent. And in the sleepy suburb of Pokey Oaks, the Powerpuff Girls were enjoying a nice, quiet night. Tomorrow was sure to be a busy, hectic day, signaling both a return to school, but, also a hopeful return to normalcy.

The snowy, silent night found Blossom curled up in her bed, dressed in her long-sleeved winter night gown and snuggled up in Aku's arms, reading a new book the Professor had picked out for her. While Blossom was completely engrossed in her book, Aku couldn't take his eyes away from her. He mirrored her serene expression while he tenderly caressed her hair and kissed her head. Blossom purred in response and snuggled even closer.

**"Do you eagerly anticipate tomorrow, Blossom? It has been so very long since you set foot into Uka's classroom,"** Aku teased, massaging one of her tentacles as it slid from under her night gown and began to rub against him. Blossom cooed again and finally looked up, blushing and smiling.

"It really has been a long time, hasn't it? It feels like forever..." she sighed and nodded, "Yeah, I really am looking forward to going back to school,"

**"You know, child. Uka-sensei must admit he has missed you,"** Aku whispered in her ear, his breath sending a chill down her spine. Blossom closed her book and turned, slipping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips against his ear.

"I've missed Uka-sensei," she replied, nearly breathless. Aku grinned, one of his tentacles catching one of hers as it slipped around his waist. She grinned and nipped at his neck, lightly kissing the corner of his mouth. He chuckled and pressed his lips against hers.

"Knock, knock!" the Professor sang, starting to open the door. One of Blossom's tentacles shot across the room, smashing into the door and holding it shut. She and Aku sat in silence, eyes wide, hearts pounding, lips still touching, "Now what's this about? The door is stuck...Blossom, are you still awake?" the Professor called, jiggling the knob.

"I am! What...ahem, erm," Blushing furiously, Blossom tried to calm her nerves, "What did you need, Professor?" she asked.

"I just wanted to let you know, Agent Honeydew is visiting with her boyfriend," Blossom perked up, "And she brought her famous banana pudding!" Blossom shot over to the door, freezing inches from the handle.

"Oh cool! I'll be right down!" she called. The two waited with baited breath until the Professor was gone. Aku cleared his throat and slid out of bed, shuffling over to Blossom.

**"You...are eager to meet this boyfriend?"** he asked, pointing toward the door. Blossom nodded, hovering up to Aku's eye level. He wasn't used to seeing her look so...starstruck.

"Of course! I've always wanted to meet him, he's a famous superhero!" Her childish joy vanished and she became deathly serious, "Also, Agent Honeydew's banana pudding is supposed to be amazing! You should come down and get some too!" she exclaimed, tugging on his horns and grinning. Aku scratched his head in confusion, quickly shifting into his Baku form.

"Won't this be strange? My sudden appearance in your room?" he asked as they started down the stairs.

Blossom shrugged, "I'll think of something, but you'll hate yourself if you don't get any of this pudding!" Now Baku was practically salivating. Blossom wasn't one to normally obsess over food. This must be something special indeed!

"Hi! Sorry I'm uh...not really dressed for guests..." Blossom giggled sheepishly, flying to the seat beside Buttercup. Baku laughed sheepishly and waved nervously as he scurried over to stand behind her. Bubbles took a big bite of her pudding and looked up at Baku.

Innocently, she asked, "When did you get here, Baku?" Baku's eyes went wide and he started to sweat. Blossom eagerly accepted a bowl of pudding and took a bite.

"Mmm..." she moaned in dreamy-eyed bliss. After another bite, she glanced up at Baku, who numbly accepted a bowl offered to him, "Baku snuck in through my window, it was really romantic," Blossom giggled. Bubbles laughed and Buttercup laughed when Baku changed several different shades of red.

"What?! It wasn't...I mean I didn't...it was..."

"Aw, how cute!" Bubbles sang. Buttercup snickered and stuck her tongue out at Baku.

"Did you climb up her hair?" she asked teasingly. Blossom and Baku were both stunned to see Buttercup...okay with the thought of Baku sneaking in.

"Uh...actually...that would probably cause her great pain, so no, I simply flew," Baku explained dryly. Bubbles and Buttercup giggled. The Professor cleared his throat, not nearly as mirthful as his daughters and glared at Baku. The monster boy laughed and gave the Professor his most apologetic grin.

"Ahem...we'll discuss this later. For now...you all know Agent Honeydew. I'd like you to meet her boyfriend," he gestured to the costumed crime-fighter at the table, already on his fourth bowl of pudding. The hero blinked and looked up in confusion. The girls all waved excitedly, while Baku just stared incredulously.

"Wait...he's a-"

"Monkey! The greatest superhero of all time!" Bubbles exclaimed, "It's so great to meet you!" she then began making...monkey sounds. Monkey perked up and spoke back to her, reaching across the table and shaking each of the girls' hands. Blossom and Buttercup giggled and blushed. Baku was still...completely confused.

"A monkey?"

"No, Monkey! He's famous, Baku. I'm surprised you haven't heard of him," Blossom explained. Monkey chirped and shrugged. Bubbles giggled and chirped back at him. The two, and Agent Honeydew, all burst out laughing.

"Now behave yourself, Monkey," Agent Honeydew scolded playfully. Monkey and Bubbles blushed and apologized.

"What brings you here, Agent Honeydew? And why did you have pudding with you?" Blossom asked with a little laugh, taking a big bite, "Not that I'm complaining! This is fantastic!" Baku looked down at the pudding. He still hadn't gotten to take a bite. With a shrug, he popped a spoonful in his mouth. His eyes shot open and his form started quivering. In seconds, he finished his serving and was staring at the big bowl on the table almost lecherously.

Blossom giggled and gave him the rest of her second helping. He finished it just as quickly as the first, "I thought you'd like it!" she teased.

Agent Honeydew laughed, "Well, your father asked for my recipe. I wanted Monkey to meet the three of you and so...I just decided to whip some up myself," she winked at Monkey, who blushed and responded incoherently. Honeydew and Bubbles both laughed, the latter blushing.

"What's he saying?" Buttercup whispered, kicking Bubbles under the table. The blonde girl giggled again.

"Um...he's excited to meet us too!" Bubbles explained. Somehow, her sisters weren't convinced that was all he'd said.

"Well this is great! I can't wait to make some myself, Honeydew!" the Professor laughed, filing the note she'd left him away with the rest of his recipes. Agent Honeydew smiled appreciatively. Monkey elbowed her in the side and made a gesture. She sighed and nodded, suddenly serious.

"I apologize, we can't stay long, however, I do have some...business related information to share with you girls," The girls traded a glance then nodded, "Dexter and I were able to pinpoint a pattern in the terrorist attacks over the last week. We believe that something big is coming tomorrow. I wanted to let you know, so that you can prepare,"

Buttercup spoke up, "What about the boys? Do they know?"

"Yes," Agent Honeydew nodded, "I've informed my boys. We do not know what is going to happen, just that something is going to happen-" she turned to Monkey, who was signing to her. She nodded, "I'm sorry to leave you on such a dire note, and so suddenly...once this blows over, we all need to get together and really enjoy ourselves," She said with a wink. She rose from her seat, slipping her arm in Monkey's. The two began to make their way to the door. The Professor got up and went to see them out.

"It was very nice seeing you all, I hope you enjoy the pudding!" she called. Monkey called back and, like that, they were gone.

"He said good luck," Bubbles explained, draining the last of her glass of milk. Baku helped himself to a fifth helping of the pudding, while Blossom and Buttercup turned to each other.

"Something big, huh?" Buttercup asked. Blossom nodded.

"Yeah...it make sense though. I mean, there's no way this was all a coincidence, right?" she mused. Bubbles and Buttercup nodded. The three heard slurping and turned to see Baku licking the empty bowl clean. He paused, looking up at them.

"What?" he asked. The three sister burst into laughter. Baku shrugged and resumed licking the bowl eagerly. Where he came from, and why, never came up again that night. When he finally left, Buttercup even let him and Blossom kiss goodnight, without much more than a snicker with Bubbles.

* * *

Wednesday was finally here! Townsville Elementary, rebuilt from the rubble of the old school, had finally opened its doors to students once again. While the overall climate in the town was still hostile, the students seemed actually eager to see each other once again. Old friends met and hugged, and some even made new friends.

For the students of class 252A, the air in the room was one of tense anticipation. The door opened and those who were early braced themselves. The cheerful chatter from the hallway killed the tension like a bullet, and everyone relaxed as the Powerpuff Girls walked in. The girls finished chatting and hurried to their seats. Before long, the door opened again and the gaunt, monstrous Principal-to-Be strolled inside, head held high, horns shined, a toothy grin on his green face.

"Greetings pupils! At last we return here, to the seat of sweet education's throne! I trust your hungry minds are prepared to work and grow, for on this day, we dive headfirst into a glorious bowl of knowledge!" Blossom snorted and collapsed on her desk, laughing. The other students, terrified, stared at Uka-sensei, joining Blossom in laughing. It started with Bubbles giggling, but when Buttercup joined in, the other students chimed in.

Uka-sensei clapped his hands, getting their attention as the first bell rang. He folded his hands behind his back and surveyed the room. Everyone in their seat, right on time. With a nod and a smile, he returned to his desk and shuffled through his paperwork. He smirked, glancing up at Blossom, who was grinning right at him. Her hair was done up with her favorite hair clip, her big red bow sitting proudly on her head.

* * *

Whatever had happened over the break, it had done wonders for Uka-sensei's temper. He was still a sarcastic old monster, but any time where he may have gone for an insult, he trailed off and simply shrugged. That isn't to say he had gone soft. The first student to speak out of line had been forced to stand for an hour. Another, who fell asleep, was greeted by the sound of a moldy old tome twice the size of the student being dropped on his desk. And the work...despite the break, Uka-sensei had no intention of reducing his near impossible standards.

The work was still brutal.

"Now as you can see here, if you substitute for y..." he flinched, trailing off and turning to glare at the Hotline, beeping in the corner. The air grew thick with tension, every little heart skipping a beat. Buttercup glanced over at Blossom, then gestured to the Hotline. Blossom nodded and floated over to answer the phone.

"Yes, Ms. Bellum?" Blossom nodded, glancing at her sisters, then to Uka-sensei, and back to her feet, "I understand, we'll be there right away," As soon as she hung up the phone, the building shook and the children screamed. There was an explosion in the distance.

"An incident requiring your attention, I assume?" Uka-sensei asked, raising an eyebrow. Blossom blushed and nodded.

"Yes sir," she turned to Bubbles and Buttercup, "Ms. Bellum says the strip is being attacked by what looks like an army of robots. Let's roll," Her sisters nodded and the three shot off to save the day.

* * *

Townsville Strip Mall was a busy place, even in the middle of the day. However, the recent attacks had left the area in tatters. What repairs had been made, were quickly undone by the swarming robots. The Powerpuff Girls landed nearby, catching the attention of a small group of ten. Buttercup slammed her fists together and got ready for action.

The robots were each about a head taller than the girls themselves. They were simple in design, possibly to facilitate mass production, Blossom thought. Made of shiny metal, shaped like humanoids, with big round heads with a single red visor to observe their surroundings. Honestly, Blossom thought, a bit embarrassed by the realization, they looked like...

"They're like the robots on danger level 2!" Bubbles exclaimed. Her sisters looked at her and she blushed, "You know...except bigger and maybe kinda sorta dangerous," she rubbed her arm. Blossom smirked and tilted her head toward Buttercup. The green puff grinned and gave Bubbles a playful punch in the arm.

"Hey, good thing you've got practice on those guys, huh? We got this in the bag," she teased. Bubbles blushed more, but giggled and nodded.

"Yeah, let's go hardcore on these guys," The three froze, hearing another explosion in the distance. Buttercup's communicator beeped and a voice echoed from it. It was Dexter.

"There's another attack at the other side of town! Stay where you are, the Rowdyruff Boys are en route!" The girls nodded and turned to face the robots again. While they were distracted, the metal men had advanced on them. They moved fast!

"Scatter and try heat rays!" Blossom called. The three dodged the initial assault. Though they managed to avoid five, another thirteen appeared, swarming the girls. Despite her own plan, Blossom panicked and took a swing at one, smashing it in half. She winced, rubbing her hand.

"They're pretty tough! Don't hold back too much!" she called. Just then a massive red ray shot by her, vaporizing a small group of the robots. She glanced back at Bubbles, who giggled, before screaming and dodging a swarm of nine, appearing from nowhere. Blossom sighed and laughed, "Man, I forget she can do that sometimes," Blossom yelped, dodging a combination attack from the robots. They began powering up and unleashed a barrage of energy rays at her.

Blossom weaved in and out of the rays, taking out the robots one by one with her own heat rays. When one tried to close in, she smashed it in a single blow. Another group came at her like a bullet storm. Blossom took a deep breath and released her ice breath, freezing them in place. Another simple swat and they shattered.

"This can't be what she meant," She commented, watching as Bubbles and Buttercup tore through the robots just as easily as she had. There were a ton of them. She heard another explosion in the distance. Dexter's voice crackled from the communicator, informing them that he was en route to stop the third attack. Still...they were all so weak.

"Hey, Blossom!" Buttercup called, landing beside her. She backhanded another robot, smashing it into a hundred pieces, "You think this is too easy? These guys are a joke!" The two watched as Bubbles obliterated another wave of them with a single heat ray blast. She landed by her sisters and shrugged.

"I mean, maybe they are the danger level 2 robots. They feel about as strong," The three giggled. That's when they were suddenly hit by a massive explosion, one that split the street apart and sent them scattered across the intersection.

Blossom was the first to recover, climbing onto shaky legs. She rubbed her eyes and peered through the dust and debris. Someone was coming closer. When the dust settled, Blossom's blood ran cold. Her hands dropped to her sides and a weak, whine escaped her lips.

"No..." The new attacker, who had managed to scatter them with a single attack was a Powerpuff Girl. She was smaller than they were, she was a newborn, that was for sure. Her brown hair was tied up in a pony tail, whipping behind her as she stalked closer. She'd lost the hump in her back, and her perfect, straight teeth were pulled back in a vicious snarl. Her purple eyes still seemed to move independent of each other, but they were focused on the girls with venomous hatred.

"Bunny!" Bubbles screamed, throwing herself at their little sister. Before she could reach her, Bunny screamed, blowing Bubbles back by the sheer force of her voice.

"NO! Stay away from Bunny!" she screamed, stomping her foot. The pavement shattered under the blow, leaving behind a crater in the ground. Bunny jumped, backing away from the crater. She shook her head and focused her eyes again, returning her glare to the girls.

"Bunny, you're alive," Buttercup whispered. Blossom bit her lip and flew over to Bubbles, helping her to her feet.

"Bunny, we missed you..." she insisted. Bunny shook her head, taking deep, uneasy breaths. She snarled and clenched her little mitts.

"No miss, Bunny! You kill Bunny!" The girls gasped.

"No! We didn't!" Bubbles cried, tears in her eyes. Bunny swallowed and narrowed her eyes. Her body was starting to glow. Blossom's eyes widened and she began to tremble. Bunny had been remade with real Chemical X. She had their power now, without a mental restriction.

"This..." Blossom managed to stammer. This is what it meant. This was...

"You hurt Bunny! You use her! You make Bunny sad! Then you kill Bunny!" Bunny screamed. Her new voice was now higher, but still slow and slurred.

"We never meant for that to happen!" Blossom explained, taking a step in front of her sisters. If Bunny was the threat..."Bunny, we're sorry, we were wrong to treat you that way. But, we never wanted you to be hurt..."

Buttercup nodded, "Yeah, I mean, we..."

"We love you, Bunny," Bubbles whispered. Bunny shook her head, only becoming more angry. She grit her teeth and began to power up. Her skin was glowing, she was surrounded in wild purple light.

"Bunny no love you. Bunny hate you. Bunny HATE YOU!" Bunny stomped her foot. This time the fissure she created stretched across the entire intersection. She grabbed her head and screamed, snarling, "Bunny kill you all," she spat. Before any of the girls could even try to reason with her more, Bunny was gone, leaving behind a gaping hole in the ground. She slammed into Blossom, digging her fist into her stomach. The blow hit so hard, so fast, Blossom couldn't even scream. She was hurled through the air, smashing through building after building. She landed, limp, and skid through the Townsville streets like a rag doll.

By the time she landed, she was still gasping for air.

"AH!" she screamed, sucking in air, "She...she's so...so stro...Bunny, no...no, not Bunny...why her? NO!" Blossom scrambled to her feet, now unable to keep herself from crying. She could hear the miniature explosions going off with every punch and kick Bunny threw. They wouldn't fight back. They couldn't fight back. She was their sister...their baby...

Blossom ground her teeth and shot back into the fight.

"Bunny stop!" Buttercup screamed.

"No! Bunny kill you!" The purple puff barked. Buttercup caught her by her shoulders, but Bunny hit her with enough force to smash her into the ground. With a scream, Bunny started punching, each one thrown harder and harder. Buttercup only managed to escape thanks to Blossom tackling their baby sister. Blossom wrapped her arms under Bunny's and pulled her off her feet, hoping to restrain her.

"Bunny stop! It's okay! We can talk about this! Just relax!" She cried. Bunny screamed, creating an explosion that drove her, and Blossom, through the air and into another building. Bunny slammed her fist into Blossom's face, taking her down along with the entire building.

"Please...no more...just stop! You can't...we're sorry! We're so sorry!" Bubbles sobbed, limping toward her little sister. For a second, Bunny hesitated, grunting and staring at Bubbles with wide eyes. Then her eyes narrowed and she screamed, her breath exploding from her lips and firing Bubbles across the street like a cannonball.

"You all hurt Bunny! Bunny hurt you!" she cried, grabbing her head and staring at the ground. Blossom pulled herself out of the rubble, crawling across the street trying to reach Buttercup. She pulled the battered heroine out of the dirt and slapped her gently.

"Wake up, Buttercup...come on, get up...I need you," Blossom whispered. She looked up, and gasped. Bunny was crying. She just stood in place, staring at the ground, sobbing and holding her head.

"B-Bunny?" Blossom called. One of the nearby robots sprang to life, a mechanical voice rising out of it.

"Come back, Bunny," Bunny continued to stare at the ground, sobbing. The voice sternly repeated, "Come back, Bunny," Finally the purple puff looked up, staring at the robot. She sniffled and rubbed her eyes.

"Powerpuffs not dead. Bunny no do good. Bunny kill Powerpuffs," she stuttered out.

"You've failed, return," Bunny floated into the air, looking down at Blossom. Bubbles had managed to crawl over to her, though Blossom wasn't sure she was going to stay conscious for long. Her eyes were glazed over and unfocused.

"Bunny, don't go...come back...we can make it better..." Bubbles muttered, falling to the ground and looking up at the little girl. Bunny's face screwed up, as if she was in pain. With a sharp intake of breath, she screamed, knocking them to, and driving them into, the ground.

"Bunny hate you! Bunny will kill Powerpuffs!" she screamed in a cracked voice. Bunny took off across the sky, leaving a sonic boom in her wake. Blossom watched her go, then fell forward.

"Not Bunny...please...not Bunny..." she moaned. The world went black before her head hit the ground.


	77. A Sister Twisted Pt 2

"_**I count the times that I've been sorry**_

_**I know, I know**_

_**Now my compassion slowly drowns**_

_**I know, I know**_

_**If there's a time these walls could guard you**_

_**I know, I know**_

_**Then let that time be right now,"**_

**Ready to Fall (Rise Against "The Sufferer and the Witness")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 42  
**

"NO!"Blossom's pained scream echoed across the Pit of Hate; she lashed out in her fury and her tentacles smashed through the floor, sending red stone spiraling into the bottomless hole below. She held her head in her hands, tentacles flying wildly, her power whipping up around her like a fountain. With another scream, she released a shockwave of power that shook the tower.

"My Lady...please, you'll kill us all," Chamberlain tried to reason with her. Blossom snarled and, in a flash, had him pinned to the wall, her fiery eyes tearing into his soul.

"Don't you DARE TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" she screamed, throwing him to the ground and screaming again, hands flying to her head. Chamberlain looked up at Demongo, then both demons turned to face Aku, who had been sitting in his throne, watching with a pained look on his face. His chest was on fire, his heart burning visibly.

**"Blossom..."** he whispered, **"Speak to me...about your sister,"** Blossom spun around, tears streaming down her bright red face. She started to growl, but it was quickly strangled and became a pained cry. Her human form melted away, returning her to her true demon form. Completely drained, Blossom collapsed to the ground, pulling her knees to her chest and sobbing uncontrollably. Aku was at her side like a shadow, reaching out tentatively, gently caressing her hair. Blossom's tentacles wrapped around her body, protectively.

"I can't...I can't believe it...this can't be real," she cried over and over again. Since waking up from her fight with the mysterious fourth Powerpuff girl, Bunny, Blossom had been inconsolable. After nearly two hours of screaming, she'd finally worn herself out.

**"This sister...Aku doesn't recall you mentioning her," **Aku started, slowly. He was worried that, if he was too brash, he might trigger her wrath again.

"We...it's all our fault...all my fault. This is all my fault...I'm horrible," she cried, curling up tighter. When he tried to comfort her, she pulled away, flinching. Aku sighed and sat back, waiting for her to calm down again.

**"How? Who is this girl?" **he asked again. In spite of their fighting and bickering, even Aku could tell that the Utonium sisters were close as could be. The time he'd spent as Aku Blossom, talking to Buttercup and Bubbles, had given him a tremendous amount of insight into their relationship. They'd forgiven each other relatively quickly after he pit them against one another.

"She's...our...baby sister," Blossom stuttered out, her voice just above a whisper, "We were so tired...so tired...we just wanted help but..." she shivered and buried her face once more.

"We created her ourselves, the three of us. The ingredients were just...things we threw together. She was different back then, but she was our baby sister. We loved her, but..." Blossom began to tear up again. Her voice cracked and she sobbed once more, "We used her...we just sat on our butts while we made her do our jobs. We didn't even explain it right! Then we...we got mad at her. **WE GOT MAD AT HER!**" A shockwave shot from her body, "We just sent her out to do our jobs for us on her first day alive! We didn't play with her, we didn't talk to her, we just sent her out like...like a..."

**"A minion..?" **Aku offered. Blossom lowered her head. After hesitating, she nodded.

"We got mad at her for not understanding. Then we got in trouble and...and she came back and saved us. But it was too much for her...our bad ingredients...messed up and she ended up...she..." Blossom hiccuped and looked up at Aku apologetically, "She died...she blew up because she was unstable. And it was all our fault! All my fault! She died because of us! Me!"

**"Dearest, no...shh..."** Aku pulled her into his arms. She finally relented, latching onto him desperately, **"You had no way of knowing..."**

"Now...now someone brought her back! They changed her! She's...she's still Bunny, but she's not! I almost didn't recognize her!" Blossom began to heat up, growling deep in her throat, "Why change her?! SHE WAS JUST FINE! THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH HER!" she screamed, slamming her fists against Aku's chest. His eyes bulged, but Aku managed to maintain his poker face.

**"You said she was different?"** he asked. This time, when she hit him, Aku lost his breath.

"THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH HER!" she screamed, "Everything that went wrong...it was our fault...the whole thing was our fault...she was just fine...she was perfect...she was perfect..." she continued muttering, burying herself in his arms, sobbing once again. Aku glanced at his minions and gestured for them to leave. With a curt salute, they vanished into the lair.

"You're just fine, Bunny...I'm so sorry...you were perfect, and wonderful, and sweet...it's my fault...it's all my fault, I'm so sorry...you were perfect..."

* * *

The clock in the living room struck two and started to chime. Up the stairs, at the end of the hall, the door to the little bedroom in the back opened and a tiny figure shuffled across the hall, sniffling and rubbing her eyes. She paused in front of another door. She took a deep breath and knocked softly, glancing down the hall to make sure she didn't wake her parents. She could still hear the TV downstairs—the happy couple must have fallen asleep on the couch.

The door opened a crack and a pair of blue eyes met hers, "I can't sleep..." Blossom whispered. Bubbles nodded and bit her lip. Her eyes were red and puffy, Blossom's probably looked the same. "Can I?" Blossom asked, her voice cracking. Bubbles nodded again. Before Blossom was even in the room, Bubbles hugged her suddenly, grabbing her nightie and trembling. The redhead bit her lip and returned the hug with all her limited might.

"We have to save her," Bubbles whispered, after the two stood holding each other for nearly five minutes. Blossom nodded, tightening her hug. If Bubbles could tell she was exceeding her limit, she didn't say anything, only held her tighter in response.

"I can't fight her, Blossom," Bubbles cried, sobbing, "It's all our fault...we did this to her..."

"I know..." Blossom whispered. The two jumped when a third pair of arms joined them. They looked up into their sister's tearful green eyes. The sisters slept together for the first time in three months that night, though none of them could really say they slept at all.

* * *

The girls weren't given the time to fully recover, physically or emotionally, from the fight. The very next day, before they could even get to class, the robots returned, swarming the city in even greater numbers. They looked different, bigger, stronger, sleeker. The first one to appear was more than a match for anything the scant few Townsville PD officers on the scene could throw at it. In seconds, they were unconscious in the street.

"Hold it!" Blossom called, smashing the robot into the ground as she landed. It climbed to its feet, repairing itself from the meager damage she'd managed to do. Blossom took a step back, only just avoiding its retaliating strike. Things weren't going to be nearly as easy this time...

"Get back, your Highness!" Blossom dropped to the ground, avoiding Brick's heat rays, smashing into the robot and tearing its out-stretched arm off. He landed and grinned, but his grin faded quickly. Metal tendrils shot from the robot's wound, picking up its arm and reattaching it in seconds.

"They couldn't do that yesterday!" Buttercup cried, smashing one of the robots with a parked car. It climbed to its feet, repairing back to full strength. Bubbles ducked and dodged the attacks from her own mechanical assailant, but her attention was clearly somewhere else. Even when the robot readied a devastating energy attack, she continued to stare off into the sky.

"Bubbles, look out!" Butch tackled the robot, knocking the blast off course. It spun off into the air and exploded several feet up. He smashed the robot's head over and over again, then stepped back, panting. The robot rose up from the ground, able to repair even fatal damage to its head, "No!" he shouted, blocking a volley of energy blasts with his own energy shield.

"Blondie, help him!" Brick shouted, tackling a robot at the same time Buttercup did. The two managed to tear it in half, and wasted no time in smashing it further. Buttercup hurled the debris across the street. Brick unleashed his heat rays, finally managing to vaporize the robot. They didn't have time to hope they'd done the job, as another landed to replace its fallen comrade.

"Who's making these?" Blossom wondered out loud. She was watching Bubbles, who was watching the sky. Blossom glanced at Buttercup; even her attention was divided. They were waiting for her to show up again.

"Blossom move!" someone called. Blossom blinked and looked around. She'd zoned out entirely it seemed and—Blossom hissed, driven into the ground by a robot, smashing into her back and driving her face first into the pavement. The machine drove its knee into her back and grabbed her by her head. A piston rose up from its elbow and, its visor glowing red, it began to drive her head against the ground repeatedly.

"AH!" Blossom screamed, trying to get enough leverage to throw it away. The robot was strong, though. Far too strong to just buck it away without using too much power. Her vision was starting to get blurry. A few more hits like this and she'd surely black out. The last blow stopped abruptly. In fact, the weight of the robot vanished in an instant, followed by an explosion that blew dust in her face. Dizzy, but conscious, Blossom sat up and watched her savior take out another robot en route for her.

"Ugh...Boomer?" she muttered, rubbing her head. Sure enough, the blue Rowdyruff boy was smashing through the robots with relative ease. His eyes were narrowed, focused, and lightning crackled in the air around him. He was wearing his serious face.

"Are you okay?" Bubbles asked, helping Blossom to her feet. Blossom rubbed her head, and wiped a trail of blood from her mouth, then nodded.

"I think...so..." Almost like slow motion, an explosion went off in the middle of the street, one echoed by a shrill scream. It shattered Butch's shield and sent Buttercup halfway through the car she'd been using as a bat.

"Bunny!" Bubbles cried. The purple Powerpuff girl had returned, though she looked no more pleased than she had the day before.

"Powerpuff Girls..." she muttered. Bunny dropped to the ground. Though it was only a few inches, she managed to smash a crater in the street.

"That's her?" Butch asked, getting ready to fight. Brick joined him, but, when they looked to the Powerpuff Girls for support, the Rowdyruff Boys noticed that none of them looked willing to put up a fight. "What are you three doing? Get ready before she-" Brick's head snapped back, taking the rest of his body with it.

"Go away!" Bunny yelled, spinning around and throwing a fierce kick at Butch. He threw up his shield, but the sudden force shattered it instantly. Before he could even gasp in surprise, the kick landed and sent him flying limp.

"Bunny, stop," Bubbles pleaded, "Stop fighting and we can talk about this,"

"No talk, Bunny don't want talk! You talk, but none of it true! Bunny no talk!" Bunny shot back, charging at her sisters. Buttercup tackled Bubbles away from Bunny's initial charge, but neither was prepared for just how fast their sister was. Spinning on a dime, Bunny screamed, her explosive shout hitting them as hard as any punch.

"We're sorry...we can't take it back, but we can make it better! I promise!" Blossom insisted, moving closer to Bunny. The purple puff swallowed and took a step back. She rubbed her head, but her confusion quickly turned to anger, and then to fury. Bunny began to growl.

"NO! BUNNY KILL!" She screamed, erupting into purple light. Bunny shot at her like a bullet, but the blow never landed. Boomer caught her fist, holding her back with a determined, vicious glint in his eye.

"NO! Don't touch her!" He yelled. The two struggled against each other, pushing their strength higher and higher.

"Take this!" Brick yelled as he fired his heat rays, blasting Bunny in the side and away from Boomer. She yelped and crashed into the ground, spinning out of control before landing.

"BUNNY!" The girls yelled, hurrying to her side.

"Get away from her, you idiots!" Butch shouted, finally back in the fight. Bunny turned on her sisters, pouncing on them like an animal. Buttercup dodged a punch, only to take a knee to the chest. Blossom avoided a kick and was punched in the side. Bubbles dodged a punch and reached out, pressing her mitt against Bunny's lips, silencing an explosive shout. Bunny froze, staring at her with wide eyes.

"Shh...it's okay," Bubbles insisted, "We'll help you, okay? You don't have to do this...we're sorry. We can make it better," she smiled, "Okay?" Buttercup helped Blossom to her feet and the two watched with baited breath. Bunny's eyes unfocused, her lazy eye drifting off center.

"Bubbles?" she mumbled, cocking her head. Bubbles beamed and nodded, taking a step closer and gently caressing Bunny's cheek.

"That's right...it'll be okay, alright, Bunny? We love you, and we just want to help you," she explained soothingly. Bunny started to nod. Her face suddenly screwed up in pain and her eyes focused in an instant.

"NO!" She screamed, blowing Bubbles back with an explosive shout. Bunny's hands flew to her head, her power started overflowing around her. "No! You just hurt Bunny! You all hurt Bunny! Bunny hate you! Hate you? Yes! Bunny hate Powerpuffs! Bunny kill Powerpuffs! Bunny do good!" She argued with herself, trembling and stomping her feet.

"Shut up already!" Brick yelled, catching her by surprise and throwing a fierce right hook across her face. Bunny's head shot to the side, but she steadied herself and snarled. She headbutted Brick, knocking him across the street like a rocket. Butch tried to attack her from the side, but Bunny managed to catch him. With a shout, she jumped in the air and then threw Butch down. He smashed into, through and deeper into the ground. She landed and began advancing on the remaining four, lips pulled back, showing off her teeth.

"Bunny finally kill Powerpuffs. Then Bunny do good!" she insisted. She shot at them. When Bubbles tried to get close again, Bunny snatched her wrist and pulled her forward. With a shout she brought Bubbles arm down on her knee. A small shockwave shot from the blow, snapping her elbow instantly. Bubbles screamed and dropped to the ground, her arm hanging limp at her side. Bunny knocked her to the ground with another brutal punch. She lifted her foot to stomp down on the blue puff's head, but Boomer smacked her back with his energy bat.

"GO AWAY!" Bunny screamed, her explosive shout blowing Boomer away. He turned in mid air, fighting against the blast to come back at her. He only managed to fly face first into a powerful punch the sent him careening into a nearby office building. Bunny jumped into the air and came down lightning fast, crashing into Buttercup with a devastating kick. She caught Buttercup by her ankle before she could get far and swung her around, smashing her into Blossom.

"Bunny...ugh...she's so strong...was she always this strong?" Blossom muttered. She tried to get up and quickly fell back down, pain shooting up her leg. "Oh no,"

Buttercup rose to her knees and managed to slide between Bunny and her sisters, "Don't do this, sis," she coughed, slowly rising to her feet. As unsteady as she was even a strong breeze could likely take her down. Bunny took a step toward her and froze. Her eyes unfocused and she came to a halt, holding her head. Tears welled up in her eyes and started rolling down her cheeks.

"Sisters?" she moaned. Bunny's head dropped and she stared at the ground, crying softly. Like before, one of the robots suddenly sprang to life, a mechanical voice rising out of it.

"Bunny, snap out of it. Kill them, or come back," it demanded. Bunny continued to cry, standing completely still. Every so often, she would sniffle and hiccup. The robot pulled itself together and stalked toward her.

"Get away from her!" Buttercup and Blossom screamed, the latter climbing to her feet, standing defiant on her bad limb. The robot ignored them entirely, leaning closer to Bunny.

"Return, you've failed, Bunny," Bunny shook her head, "Return this instant," Bunny winced and a strangled sob escaped her lips. Her eyes focused again and she stood up straight, snarling through her tears.

"Bunny kill them...kill them all..."

"You've failed,"

"Bunny..."

"Is a failure, now return," Her face screwed up in rage and Bunny glared at the robot. She trembled, then screamed. Her explosive shout was powerful enough that, at close range, it vaporized the robot entirely. She growled and glared at her sisters. For a second, her lips quivered. Then, with a snort, Bunny shot off.

"God!" Brick groaned, stumbling over and helping Butch climb the rest of the way out of his crater. Boomer landed, staggering and collapsing to his knees, staring wide-eyed at the ground. He crawled over to Blossom, who had collapsed back to the ground. Though she could barely sit up straight, Buttercup and Boomer knelt down to take a look at Blossom's leg.

"That retard is strong as Hell," Brick muttered, snickering slightly at his own joke. Almost instantly, the street went dead silent. Before he could so much as catch his breath, Brick found himself dangling in the air, two iron-like mitts latched to his throat. Her lips were pulled back in the angriest look he'd ever seen on her pretty face. She was glowing, like a goddess, with waves of light and power pouring off her body. Every wound she'd sustained in the fight was gone.

"Don't you ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, EVER SAY THAT AGAIN!" Bubbles screamed, tightening her hold on his neck with each "ever." Brick gagged, trying to breathe. Bubbles continued to glare at him, unblinking. He finally managed to nod. When she threw him down, Brick heaved and gasped. Bubbles took several deep breaths, clenched her eyes shut and shook, her lips quivering. With a scream, she vanished, leaving behind a gaping hole in the ground.

Across the city, the robots still invading suddenly began to explode into a shower of shrapnel and scrap, one after the other. Each one was sent scattered by a colossal sonic boom, resonating from each strike. Back at the site of the fight with Bunny, Blossom watched Bubbles' rampage. She looked up, making eye contact with Buttercup. Blossom's lips quivered and she lowered her head.

Bubbles was taking out her anger on the enemy, tearing them apart.

Buttercup was taking control of the situation, trying to take care of her sisters.

And all Blossom could do was cry.


	78. A Sister Twisted Pt 3

"_**I won't crawl on my knees for you**_

_**I won't believe the lies that hide the truth**_

_**I won't sweat one more drop for you**_

_**Cause we are the rust upon your gears**_

_**We are the insects in your ears**_

_**We crawl...we crawl...we crawl...**_

_**All over you,"**_

**Re-Education Through Labor (Rise Against "Appeal to Reason")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 43**

"People of Townsville...thank you for your undivided attention."

At a quarter past four that day, a mysterious broadcast hijacked every television and radio signal in the city, replacing them with static, broken only by a chilling, deep mechanical voice.

"I have been watching. I have seen how you suffer. I've seen how you torture yourselves. And I have come to save you from that which lies ahead. I am your salvation, Townsville,"

Two trains nearly collided, their schedules mixed up by a glitch in the system. A plane preparing to leave the city never made it off the ground. Traffic lights changed at random and rolling blackouts tumbled through the city. The broadcast, however, remained mysteriously unaffected, even in blacked out regions of town.

"The world has become a dangerous place. You've turned on yourselves; you've turned against yourselves. The cause is simple...the source of your strife has been staring you in the eye all along, but you refuse to see it. I will be your eyes. I will be your hands. Through me, we will make a new future for Townsville. A new future for the world,"

People gathered in the streets, watching the broadcast through store windows. Listening to it over radios sitting on front porches. In the sleepy suburb of Pokey Oaks, the city's defenders sat in silence, holding their breaths.

"Judgment Day has come at last. At nineteen hundred hours, the false goddesses you've pledged your souls to will fall at last. Where will you be when the sun rises on the dawn of a new world, Townsville? Remember April,"

And just like that, the power across Townsville went out.

* * *

In the girls' living room, illuminated by the warm glow of candle light, the Powerpuff Girls and Rowdyruff Boys sat in silence, staring at the now lifeless television in the corner. Dexter and Agent Honeydew were nowhere to be found. They had been called away by Honeydew's commander; the military was preparing something, anything to protect Townsville from whatever the mysterious terrorist had planned.

"Bunny will be waiting for us," Blossom pointed out. Brick looked up, starting to speak. The moment he laid eyes on Bubbles, though, he fell silent and simply nodded.

"He's not going to call her away this time, is he?" Bubbles asked, her voice low and toneless. They were the first words she'd spoken since her outburst only a few hours ago.

"No, he won't," Blossom replied softly. She sat in the recliner, her injured leg propped up on the ottoman. Boomer sat on the floor next to her. He tried to hide it, but everyone could see the way he kept looking back at Blossom, then down to her leg. Every time, he bit back a shameful sigh and lowered his eyes. Buttercup was laying at the other side of the couch, across from Bubbles, her knees pulled up to her chest.

"What are we going to do?" she asked no one in particular. Butch looked at Bubbles, then over at Brick. He frowned, sensing what it was his brother wanted to say. Butch took a deep breath and, after a small spasm, climbed to his feet.

"We're gonna fight her! I know she's strong, but there's six of us! If you three actually threw a punch we could beat her!" he shouted. Buttercup and Bubbles bristled, starting to rise from the couch, each shouting their own version of "No!" Blossom sighed and shook her head.

"We can't just beat her up, Butch," she tried explaining. Brick found his courage again, and jumped up.

"Why not?! We could totally take her if you girls would just fight!" He swallowed nervously when Bubbles shifted on the couch. Her skin was glowing, her eyes were shining like night lights.

"Because what will that do!?" Blossom argued, climbing to her feet. She winced, nearly toppling when she put too much weight on her leg. Thankfully, Boomer rose with her and helped her keep her balance, "We can fight her, sure. We can beat her, maybe. But what will that even do!? This whole mess is our fault! We hurt her! We upset her! She's doing this because she doesn't trust us! Because we..." Blossom bit her lip and sighed, "We let her die," she muttered.

"There's no way you goody-goody prissy puffs killed anyone!" Brick shot back, throwing his hands in the air, "You couldn't even kill us and you hated us!"

Butch nodded, "Yeah! We just beat her up until she stops fighting, then you can talk to her or whatever stupid plan you have and she'll stop,"

"Butch, that's enough," Bubbles warned, a spark cracking in the air near her. Butch blushed and nodded, sitting down once more.

"It's true though," he insisted, "You're good at talking, and you almost got through to her,"

Bubbles' lips quivered. The power she'd built up fizzled and she covered her face with her hands, trembling. Buttercup slid across the couch and pulled her into a hug. Blossom started for the stairs, grunting and limping. After a few steps, she hovered into the air and simply stared up the hallway.

There was a black cat with flaming eyes laying at the top of the stairs, watching her.

"I need to rest before this happens. If my leg doesn't get better, I'm going to be a liability in the fight ahead," she pointed out.

"But what are we going to do?" Boomer asked.

"...I don't know," Blossom retreated up the stairs, stopping to pick up the kitty and carry him into her room.

* * *

**"What are you going to do?"**

"I don't know..."

**"You won't fight her?"**

"I couldn't do that to her...she's my baby. Maybe I deserve this, we deserve this,"

**"Do you truly feel that way? You've held the city on its knees, threatened the planet itself with utter annihilation. But...this is the line you draw? This mistake of your past determines that you deserve death?"**

"You couldn't understand,"

**"Perhaps not...but, you must understand that you are my world, my life. I cannot sit idly by while you suffer. Your pain is mine,"**

"I don't want you to touch her. I don't want you to do anything to interfere,"

**"Blossom..."**

"Promise me, Aku. No matter what happens, you'll stay out of the fight. I promise I won't die, even if I deserve to. I'll think of something...anything to save her. She deserves a second chance,"

**"...Good luck, my Blossom,"**

* * *

She appeared like a meteor, careening out of the sky and crashing into Townsville. The explosion hit the moment the clock struck seven. When the team arrived on the scene, they found Bunny floating above a crater in the ground, pulsating with power; her eyes were lit up like suns.

"Powerpuff Girls," she muttered, looking passed the boys to glare at her sisters.

"Bunny, we..." Blossom sucked in a quick gasp of air. Instinctively, the world around her slowed down to a crawl and her power rose. Bunny was only inches from her by the time she could react. Gritting her teeth, Blossom turned, dodging the initial attack. Bunny slid to a halt, the force from the punch cleaving a crack in the ground.

"That's enough, Bunny. Let's go home," Buttercup spoke firmly. She reached out, touching Bunny's shoulder. The purple puff's eyes widened, unfocused, then narrowed. With a snarl, she lashed out, her punch just missing Buttercup's face. Bubbles caught her from behind, pulling Bunny into a tight hug and burying her face in her hair. Bunny froze, staring with wide eyes at the other Powerpuff girls.

"Shh...it's going to be okay," Bubbles whispered. Blossom and Buttercup relaxed, smiling and nodding. Bunny stared at them, trembling. Slowly she nodded, swallowing a lump in her throat.

"Bunny...be okay?" she asked, cocking her head.

Blossom nodded, "Yeah, let's go home," she beamed, nodding when Bunny nodded. The Rowdyruff Boys stared incredulously. Was it really over that easily? Something wasn't right, it couldn't possibly be over this easily.

"She was just trying to kill them a few hours ago," Brick muttered. Butch and Boomer nodded.

"Yeah...this is wrong," Boomer whispered. Still, Blossom and her sisters seemed happy with the result. If it really was over, this was a good thing right? And as powerful as Bunny was, having the fourth Powerpuff girl along with them would certainly be a benefit. She could even help them save the day! Boomer smiled, and took a step forward. He froze, staring at Bunny's eyes. Her lazy eye came into focus and the serene almost-smile on her face vanished.

Bunny screamed, suddenly fighting against Bubbles' gentle hold. She managed to throw her away with a few swings and her hands flew to her head instantly. Blossom rushed to her, grabbing her by her shoulders.

"Bunny, fight it! Whatever it is they're doing to you. This isn't right. I know we hurt you, but we don't have to fight!" she insisted.

Buttercup nodded, "Yeah, we'll work this out, okay? Let's just go home..." she trailed off. Bunny jerked away from Blossom and dropped to her knees, cutting her scream off. She slowly rose to her feet, breathing heavily. Bunny turned and took a step back, staring wide-eyed at her sisters. Then, she threw her head back and screamed. Purple light rushed up around her and began to drive the others back. Even pushing herself to the point of glowing, Buttercup was quickly blow back by Bunny's strength. Her scream tapered off. But her power continued blazing.

Bunny lowered her head and glared at them. Her lips pulled back and she began to growl.

"Bunny...will...do...good..." she spoke, spitting each word like poison. She screwed her eyes shut and screamed, the explosive shout colliding with Butch, who threw himself in front of it with a quick energy shield. It shattered, but he managed to stop the brunt of the attack.

"Bunny kill Powerpuff Girls! Bunny DO GOOD!" She roared! Bunny vanished. Blossom tried to power up, but when Bunny's fist hit her stomach, her vision went blurry and she lost control of her powers. She crumpled to her knees, holding her stomach. Bunny brought her foot up, ready to finish her off. Boomer tackled her, driving her to the ground. Bunny screamed, but Boomer screamed back, the two shouts canceling in an ear-splitting explosion.

Boomer drove Bunny further into the ground, then threw a punch, smashing her head into the concrete. Behind him, he heard Blossom scream, telling him to stop. But, he knew he couldn't. They couldn't see the truth, they couldn't face what was right in front of them. Their sister wanted to kill them, and they couldn't just talk her out of it! Boomer threw another punch, his power rising even further.

"GET OFF!" Bunny screamed, throwing him into the air. She flew out of the ground and met him in the sky; Boomer recovered just in time to block the first attack. Their fists collided, shocking the city with tiny shockwaves, each stronger than the last. Boomer pulled back for a punch, then ducked. Bunny swung forward, hitting a heat ray blast from Brick face first. While she fell, Butch caught her and gave her a mighty throw, sending her crashing into a parked bus.

Bubbles grabbed him, stopping him from pursuing her, "Stop it! You're going to hurt her!"

"She's going to kill you!" Butch shouted, shoving Bubbles away and charging at Bunny. He gasped; she was already back, and inches from him. Bunny slammed her knee into his face and then threw a roundhouse kick, knocking him across the street. Boomer came down at her with his energy bat glowing. Bunny screamed, knocking him out of the air, then turned to face Brick. He prepared to fire his heat rays at her, but Buttercup tackled him, shooting them carelessly into the air.

"Get off! If you won't fight her, we will! She's going to kill you!" Brick argued, shoving Buttercup away and firing his heat rays. Bunny took them head on, skidding backward until she came to an abrupt halt. With a growl, she started to barrel through the blast. Brick swallowed and grit his teeth, pouring on his power. Bunny slowed momentarily, but then shot forward, tearing through the blast entirely.

"OH SH-" Brick started to scream, cut off by a fierce punch the knocked him into the pavement. Bunny wasted no time and spun on Buttercup, ramming her with her shoulder and sending her into the air. Bounding through the sky, Bunny grabbed Buttercup and slammed her against the ground with enough force to shake the entire block.

"DIE!" she screamed, throwing a wicked punch downward. Boomer shot through the sky and slammed Bunny with his bat, knocking her away from Buttercup.

"St-stop hitting her!" Buttercup groaned, trying to pick herself up. Boomer stared at her incredulously, spinning around and throwing his arms out.

"She. Wants. To. Kill. You!" he yelled. Buttercup started to respond, but all that came out was a weak moan. Boomer spun around; Bunny's fist hit his face, and this time she held on, slamming him into Buttercup once, twice, and then a third time. Over and over she slammed him into the ground, and into her sister. Snarling and panting, Bunny threw Boomer's limp body into the ground and grabbed Buttercup by her neck, pulling her out of the pavement. Buttercup was only just hanging on to consciousness.

"Buttercup! Bunny no!" Bubbles screamed, rushing toward them. Bunny slammed her head against Buttercup's, then dropped her and leaped at Bubbles, slamming her knee into the blonde puff's chest. Bubbles squealed, all the air forced from her lungs. Bunny slammed her into the ground, and, after only a moment's hesitation, held her down and threw punch after brutal punch at her face.

"Bubbles...Bubbles, no, stop it! GET OFF HER YOU! YOU...AGH!" Butch screamed, tearing two handfuls of hair from his head. His power skyrocketed and he tackled her away from Bubbles, unleashing his own Ballistic Barrage on the youngest Powerpuff girl. With each punch, he screamed, louder and harsher. Bunny finally managed to catch herself and rose up like lightning, grabbing his wrists. Frothing with rage, twitching uncontrollably, Butch continued to struggle, throwing kicks and swinging his head at her. Bunny met him headbutt for headbutt, their heads colliding until blood streamed down their foreheads.

"Bunny..." Blossom whispered, finally stumbling to her feet. It hadn't even been five minutes. Hearing Blossom's voice, something in Bunny snapped. She screamed and smashed her head against Butch's face, knocking him off his feet entirely, unconscious before he landed. Bunny shook her head and stumbled in Blossom's direction, moving in an awkward, jagged line.

"Bunny kill Blossom, kill the Powerpuff Girls," she stuttered, pausing and holding her head. Blossom held her breath. Was she going to cry? The last two fights, just before winning Bunny lost control and got called back. Blossom blinked and rubbed her eyes, looking passed Bunny. There was a black cat at the other side of the street, watching her with flaming eyes.

"Aku...no..." she shook her head, keeping eye contact with the cat. The cat frowned and mewed, thankfully not drawing attention to itself. Blossom closed her eyes and shook her head. The cat bowed his head and clenched his eyes shut. Blossom started to smile, but she then noticed someone standing over her. She looked up, just in time for Bunny's fist to hit the side of her head.

Blossom hit the ground, out cold. Bunny's eyes unfocused and she started reaching for her head. Her eyes focused again and she lowered her hands. Taking a small breath, she reached down and grabbed Blossom by her dress, lifting her onto her shoulder. She rounded up Bubbles, and then Buttercup afterward. Floating into the air, Bunny looked back at Townsville one last time. A few stray tears rolled down her cheeks.

Sniffling, she shot into the sky and away from Townsville.


	79. A Sister Twisted Pt 4

"_**Go on alone, 'cause I won't follow**_

_**This isn't giving up; no, this is letting go**_

_**Out with the old dreams I've borrowed**_

_**The path I carve from here on out will be my own**_

_**The path will be my own,"**_

**This is Letting Go (Rise Against "Endgame")**

**Dreams of an Absolution**

**Chapter 44**

Blossom's eyes creaked open. She quickly clenched them shut and grabbed her head, groaning as a sharp pain shot through her. While she waited for it to pass, she tried to take in her surroundings without her eyes. Everything around her was deathly silent, even the air seemed unmoving. She took a deep breath; the air smelled—and tasted—stale and metallic. She was in a building, that much she was certain. At last, she opened her eyes and sat up.

She was in a dark room, a perfect square of duranium. There seemed to be no way in or out of the room. Even straining her eyes, she couldn't find a speck of light. To her surprise, her night vision didn't come at once. She glanced down at her left wrist—it felt heavier than usual. There was a metal band attached to her arm, significantly larger and heavier than her bracelet.

"A stronger restriction cuff?" she mused, turning her arm over and staring at it. A sharp snap shot through the heavy air and a loud smash rang out; the cuff smashed against the ground, cleaved in two. Blossom swung her arm a few times, welcoming the rush of energy as the cap on her power, meager as it was, vanished entirely. She stood up and put her hands on her hips, her eyes lighting up bright pink.

Now could could properly take in the room. To her disappointment, there was nothing to see. From wall to wall, the room was empty, and perfectly smooth. Clearing her throat—she only just realized how dry it was—she wandered the perimeter of the room, running her hand along the wall. She came to a sudden stop and turned to look at the wall. She frowned. She couldn't see through duranium, even with her power uncapped. Still, something behind this wall seemed strange. Something about the room itself felt strange, but there wasn't time to think it over.

"Bunny," she croaked, clearing her throat again. Her sisters needed her. If Bubbles and Buttercup were in a similar position, they were likely helpless, trapped under the weight of the restriction cuffs. She resumed her trek around the room, though it was the very next wall where she stopped once more. Blossom smirked and tapped her mitt against the wall.

"Hollow, probably the door then," she reasoned. She reared back, preparing to swing. She managed to catch herself, just as her fist was about to collide with the metal, "No, no, that's a bad idea. Much too noisy," she explained, nodding at her own reasoning. Blossom knelt down and transformed her hand into a small blade. With a grunt, she shoved it through the center of the wall and tore upward, slicing a hole just large enough for her to climb through.

"Much better!" she beamed. She sighed and glanced around. An empty hallway, just as dark as the room she'd escaped from. Just where were they? And how did anyone get enough duranium to build a place this size?

'No time to wonder about that,' She thought, hurrying off down the hallway, keeping her eyes peeled for trouble, 'I need to find Bubbles and Buttercup, then we can find Bunny and get her out of this place,' Blossom nodded, slowing when she noticed another fork. Just as she was about to reach the end of the hall, she heard something around the corner. Thinking quickly, she shapeshifted into a mouse and hugged the wall, creeping around the corner. A robot marched passed her, one of the sleek, humanoid robots from earlier...whenever it was.

She zoned out, her head hurting once more. Just how long had they been out? Had she been out? Blossom shook her little mouse head and squeaked encouragement to herself. The robot turned, staring at her. Trying to stay in character, Blossom peeked up at the robot, then quickly ran away. She heard it moving behind her and prayed she hadn't given herself away. When it hurried passed her and down another corner, she sighed in relief and returned to her human form.

"Robots everywhere...memory foggy and confusing...completely disoriented by the lack of light and landmarks. Someone is trying to get in my head," she muttered, tapping her hand softly along the wall as she took another turn. It felt like one of Mojo's plans, she thought. No, it was elaborate in all the wrong ways to be one of his schemes. And besides...she narrowed her eyes and clenched her fist. Mojo was on her side, he wouldn't dare betray her like this.

That said...something about this felt oddly familiar. Blossom slid to a halt and grabbed her head. She remembered being somewhere dark, but wet. Naked? Likely...but how and where? A flash of Aku crossed her mind, but that wasn't it. She'd gone to him willingly. She opened her eyes and gasped. She could swear she saw a pair of pink eyes glaring back at her.

Blossom rubbed her eyes and blinked. They were gone, "Ugh...keep it together, Leader Girl," she chastised, "You have to stay strong, focused, and sane if you're going to pull this off," she shook her head. Honestly, if she wasn't so worried about her sisters, it would be easy enough to transform and tear the entire place apart, secrets be deviled.

"Who's there?" Blossom came to a halt and turned, tapping on the wall again. She heard someone tap against it and the voice call again, "Are you there?"

"Bubbles?" Blossom whispered, leaning closer to the wall, pressing her ear against it. On the other side, she heard her sister gasp, then a muffled sound. She must have been mirroring Blossom's pose.

"Blossom! Thank goodness...I was getting worried," she sighed.

Blossom nodded, "So was I, are you hurt? Tell me what you can,"

"I can't see anything, and none of my powers are working. I can't even feel a door here. Are you trapped too?" she asked, after thinking for a moment. Blossom closed her eyes and tried weighing her options. On one hand, she could get Bubbles free, but it would likely compromise her true form.

"No, I managed to escape," Blossom replied after a few minutes of silence. She pulled her hand back and shifted it into a blade, "Stand back, I'll get you out,"

"Don't!" Bubbles hissed. Blossom gasped and shapeshifted into a mouse again, peeking around. She returned to her human form, a bit frustrated.

"Why? What is it?" she asked. She must have sounded agitated, Bubbles seemed apologetic.

"I just...I have a thing on my arm, I think it's keeping me from using my powers," she started, trailing off. Blossom bit her lip and slid away from the wall, staring at it. Was she...implying that, "Blossom, it doesn't work on you anymore, does it?" Bubbles finally asked, confirming Blossom's fears. Blossom took a quick breath and looked around nervously. She must have been taking too long, Bubbles spoke up again, "Blossom, it's okay. I won't tell anyone,"

"...No, no it doesn't work on me anymore. I...can't even feel it when I'm wearing my bracelet. I've been pretending since I came home..." she confessed. She could almost hear Bubbles nodding.

"That's what I thought...Octi said you discovered something terrible, that must have been it," she replied sheepishly. Blossom frowned. So Octi knew...of course he did, "It never really worked that well on you, huh?" Bubbles giggled, "You're amazing, Blossom. I can't even see in the dark because of this thing on my arm and you're out there, trying to save us,"

"Bubbles..." Blossom whispered, blushing. She swallowed when she heard Bubbles giggle.

"It's no wonder...nevermind, I'm sorry. Blossom, you can't let me out, I'll just get in your way," Blossom opened her mouth to protest, but the sound of metallic footsteps cut her off. She quickly transformed and pressed herself tight against the wall. Bubbles was still speaking on the other side.

"Just find Bunny and make sure she's safe, okay? Once you and Bunny are safe, you can come back and get me and Buttercup and then we'll all leave," she explained. Blossom transformed back and swallowed, rubbing her throat. A sharp pain shot through her head—she was floating in the tube again, pain wracking her body. Blossom slid to the ground, holding her head.

"Ugh..." she heard Bubbles hit the ground on the other side of the wall. Blossom cracked her eyes open and stared at the hidden door. Bubbles was hurting too? "I keep having these horrible headaches and tummy aches...I don't think I'll be able to help, okay? So...it's up to you to save Bunny,"

Blossom took a deep breath, the pain subsided. "Bubbles...about the bracelet. I just-"

"Blossom, stop. We both know why you can do it," Blossom's blood ran cold and her heart skipped a beat, "Buttercup knows too,"

"What?! How?!" Blossom hissed, pressing her face up against the wall.

"When you were gone...she couldn't sleep at all. She woke up in the middle of the night, crying. She'd eventually get out of bed, once she thought I was asleep, and go to your room. She...found your doll," Blossom's eyes widened.

"She...you..."

"I'm the only person she told about her, your Devil Blossom doll," Bubbles explained, "I think...I already knew. I knew that you were different, that you...had changed after what happened, back in April," Blossom held her head and screwed her eyes shut. The pain in her head was becoming unbearable. She felt sick, "But, it's okay. That's who you are, and I still love you. And I know Buttercup still loves you...she loves you so much, Blossom. She just wants you to be happy, and I think it's taken her a really long time to accept that you're different now,"

"I'm still...I still...Bubbles, it's not like that," Blossom couldn't help herself. As she tried to defend her identity, she felt her eyes heating up. She could feel her horns pressing against her hair; she felt her tentacles writhing beneath her dress. She sighed and lowered her head. The pain subsided again.

"You're still Blossom, and we both love you. You're different...you're special," she could hear the smile in Bubbles' voice, and the tears welling up in her eyes, "That's why I know you can do this. You have to save Bunny because she's special too. We can't let her down again,"

Blossom nodded, "I will, don't worry. I promise I won't mess this up," she started to climb to her feet. She froze when she heard Bubbles' voice.

"You never messed up anything, Blossom,"

Bubbles went silent. Blossom stood in silence, rubbing her eyes and fighting to keep her disguise in place. When the robot came around the corner again, it suddenly split down the middle and collapsed to the ground, torn to pieces. Blossom's arm returned to normal, the tip of her blade become her mitt just as she vanished down another hall.

* * *

Blossom nearly screamed, quickly covering her eyes and toning down her super vision when she stepped through a door into a fully lit room. Blinking, she glanced around. To her right, at the far end of the rather large chamber, was a door, sealed shut. There was a crosswalk above it, linking too rooms together. It was an odd set up, but the room above probably belonged to whomever was in charge. They could stand on the crosswalk and address the room below.

The room itself was mostly barren, save for two other doors. One was straight across from her, another at the left side. Blossom decided to try the room across from her. For better or worse, she found exactly what she came for.

The new room was dark, lit only by light illuminating a tube in the center, filled with orange liquid. Blossom shuddered, her knees getting weak seeing the tube. As she approached it, she felt more distant, faded memories flooding to the surface of her mind. The moment her mitt touched the glass, a sharp pain shot through her. Blossom screamed and sank to the ground. She held her head until the pain passed, but, as she was standing up, she noticed three other tubes around the room. Two were empty, but the third...

"Bunny!" Blossom gasped, rushing over to her baby sister. The purple Powerpuff girl was fast asleep, hooked up to a breathing apparatus. The controls on the machine seemed to be monitoring her vitals, but a closer look revealed they were monitoring her energy output. Bunny was still giving off an incredible amount of power, despite being fully submerged in Antidote-X.

"You're unbelievable, Sis," Blossom muttered, fiddling with the controls, trying to find a release, "Let's get you out of there, then we can talk this over and finally put all this fighting to rest," Blossom beamed, finding a button that triggered something in the tube. The Antidote-X began to drain and air rushed into the opening tube. Bunny slid to the ground, disconnecting from the breathing apparatus, and began to stir.

"There you are!" Blossom chirped, rushing to her side and helping her sit up. Bunny blinked and looked around in confusion.

"Bunny wet," she said, blushing. Blossom noticed that her lazy eye was acting normal. Whatever was driving Bunny to attack them before seemed to be dormant, for now.

"You are! Come on, let's get you dried off before you get sick," Bunny blinked, taking a moment to process, then nodded, gingerly climbing to her feet and following Blossom out of the room. Blossom looked around the wide open chamber from before. There had to be somewhere she could find a change of clothes...

"Blossom?" Bunny asked, tightening her hold on the pink Powerpuff girl's hand. Blossom turned to face her, giving her hand a squeeze.

"What's wrong, Honey?" she asked, brushing Bunny's bangs out of her face.

"Bunny don't know..." she confessed. A look of pain shot across Bunny's face and her hands flew to her head. She screamed and fell to her knees. She was crying when she opened her eyes, "Bunny...hurt...sisters? Bunny...hurt...so much hurt..."

Blossom rushed to her side, giving her a tight hug, "Shh...it's okay, Bunny. That's all over now. We're going to make everything better, okay? Everything is going to be alright," Bunny looked up at Blossom. She gave her little sister the brightest smile. Slowly, a smile spread across Bunny's face.

"Okay," she beamed. Blossom helped her to her feet and started back toward the first door. Maybe if she just got Bubbles and Buttercup...

"Huh?" Blossom slowly turned around. Bunny had drifted behind her. Now they were standing at opposite sides of the room. Bunny's lips were pulled back in a snarl, her eyes were focused and furious.

"Powerpuff Girls..." Bunny growled.

"Bunny, stop it," Blossom narrowed her eyes. Her skin began to glow and her eyes lit up. Bunny blinked, taking a step back. A grimace of pain shot across her face; she quickly resumed her snarling glare.

"Bunny kill Blossom," she cried.

"No, you won't. We're not going to fight," Blossom replied. Again, the authority in her voice caught Bunny off guard. Some kind of understanding crossed her eyes, but it vanished with another pained shock.

"No! We fight! Bunny kill!"

"We're not fighting, and you won't kill me," Blossom marched over to Bunny. When the little girl threw a punch, Blossom caught it and forced it down. Bunny pulled her hand away and took a step back.

"Huh?" Her eyes drifted, "Blossom? What happen?"

"I don't know...but you can fight it. Just stay with me, we'll get through this, we'll get Bubbles and Buttercup, and then we'll be a family again, okay?" Blossom assured her. Bunny swallowed nervously and looked around. She screamed and collapsed to her knees, holding her head, "Bunny!" Blossom started toward her, then collapsed, joining her in screaming, holding her own head. Memories flashed through her mind. Loneliness, pain, bitterness, anger, hatred. Hatred. Hatred. Blossom opened her eyes and snarled, forcing herself to her feet and looking up at the crosswalk. Someone was watching them.

"You're fighting it," he mused, stroking his chin. Blossom recognized the voice, but, from where? The man chuckled, "How cute,"

"Who are you!?" Blossom barked, two tentacles tearing from her dress. She growled and her eyes began to light up. Before she could take a step toward the stranger, Bunny was on her feet. She caught Blossom by her shoulder and sent her stumbling backward. The two sister growled, glaring at each other. Blossom gasped and grabbed her head. Her eye flames went out and her tentacles retracted. What was she doing!? She couldn't fight her!

"Bunny...stop...it's okay..." she insisted, struggling to see through the glassy haze covering her vision. Bunny blinked and moaned. The purple light around her fizzled out. The two sisters turned, hearing someone clapping. The stranger smirked, his sharp, fang like teeth nearly gleaming in the bright room.

"Impressive! I can see I may have underestimated you!" The stranger stalked to the edge of the crosswalk and, with inhuman grace, leaped down. He slithered more than walked toward them. Now Blossom could get a good look at him. His skin was green and reptilian, not unlike Sedusa's. His eyes were bright red, hidden behind a pair of dark shades. His hands were claws, and a large, powerful tail slid along behind him, occasionally striking the ground with enough force to dent the duranium. His greasy blond hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail.

"You..." Blossom gasped. She finally recognized him! "You're...but, you died, didn't you? I thought the other Powerpuff girls killed you!" She shouted, thrusting her mitt accusingly at him. The stranger, none other than the Professor's ex-best friend, Dick Hardley, chuckled and clapped again.

"What a memory! I'd expect nothing less from smart, little Blossom! I assure you, I'm very real. In fact, more real than I've ever been," he chuckled. He held his hands out and began to glow.

"Chemical X..." Blossom whispered.

"Right you are, Blossom! Not that shitty synthetic you conned me with. No, this is the real deal, and its all thanks to you," Dick laughed, clenching his fists, "Your precious little attempt at world conquest made this all possible. Of course, I need to thank Bubbles...after all, it was the blood, her blood, that you spilled to make this all possible,"

"Bubbles?" Blossom shivered, of course. She'd beaten Bubbles within an inch of her life in that fight. It wasn't...impossible that someone could have collected a sample of her blood. Her fear and shock quickly turned to anger. Blossom snarled and threw herself at him. Her blade arm stopped inches from Dick's face. She shuddered, struggling against some invisible hand holding her back. She slowly floated to the ground, then to her knees. Blossom's arm shifted back to normal and she fell forward, struggling to stay up.

"Having a hard time moving, hm? Don't worry, I'm sure Bunny can tell you all about that," He laughed and paced around them, pausing to give Bunny's shoulder a squeeze. The little puff shuddered, but, though she was clearing afraid, she couldn't pull away.

"Don't touch her!" Blossom spat, her eyes catching on fire, "What are you doing to her? To me!?" she snarled, nearly falling on her face when an earth-shattering pain shot through her head. Her vision unfocused and she fought the urge to throw up.

Dick knelt down in front of her, pulling her up by her hair and smirked, "You know, after you left me for dead, I was sure my life was over," he sighed and pushed his glasses back up, "It was days before I woke up, even longer before I could walk again. My body was tearing itself apart, but my mind...my mind was expanding in ways I never imagined,"

'Just like Mojo...' Blossom thought. She tried to power up her heat rays, but instead her head screamed at her and she could feel her own eyes burning. Her scream caught in her throat, refusing to escape. Dick grinned, dropping her back to the ground.

"Utonium was always the genius...but that changed, thanks to you. I wanted revenge, I wanted to see you suffer, I wanted him to suffer. To lose everything just like I did," Dick sighed and held his hands out, gesturing to the room around them. "I designed and built this facility with my own two hands! And here, I created the greatest invention mankind will ever know...my nanobots,"

"Nanobots?" Blossom hissed. Her eyes slowly widened. The nanobots that tried to devour Townsville?

"I never imagined you'd be able to destroy something you couldn't see, let alone truly fight...I was wrong. But, then...when I was about to lose hope, you showed me something," Dick appeared in front of Blossom suddenly, caressing her cheeks. She snarled, but again her fist stopped itself inches from his face, "The true power of Chemical X..." he hissed in her ear.

"My facility wasn't good enough to recreate it on its own. I needed...help. But, now, I had a plan. I hired an old friend of James...Abigail. She was eager enough for work, and worked wonderfully as my first test subject,"

"You...you gave Sedusa her Chemical X...turned her into a monster," Blossom realized. Dick nodded, grinning from ear to ear. His grin seemed much too big for his face.

"That's right! After a few adjustments...I began to alter myself. As you can see," he held out his arms, "It worked beautifully. Abigail served her purpose...I got the tools I needed; I got the security code to your home. She took care of the police, leaving Townsville in a panic. She even made a little...delivery for me. Everything was set, just waiting for you to trigger it, Blossom. It's unfortunate she died in that explosion...I could have used her. Oh well, I guess the power went to her head?"

Blossom groaned and grabbed her head. A sudden pain appeared behind her eyes, trying to force them out of her skull, "The riots...you did it..." Blossom gasped. Suddenly it all made sense. How so many people could, in unison, start panicking at once. Why it spread so quickly; why people overreacted.

Why she could barely move right now.

"Nanobots...you used nanobots to control enough people to start a panic. To make everyone else feel unsafe and terrified..." Dick laughed, appearing in front of her once again. He flicked her chin with his tail.

"Bingo...take Townsville out from the ground up. Cleanse this entire miserable planet in fire. But I knew I couldn't do it alone...I needed something to give me a certain leverage over you little brats," Dick slid over to Bunny, grabbing her by her head and bringing his face dangerously close to hers, "What better than the little sister you killed? Brought back from the dead for revenge?"

"Stop...stop!" Bunny managed to moan. She tried to pull away, but Dick held on tighter, snickering. Blossom forced herself to her feet, growling. One arm transformed into a whip; the other became her sword.

"Get your hands off her!" She spat. Dick stood up straight and gestured toward Blossom. Bunny shot forward, slamming her fist into her sister's stomach, dropping her back to her knees.

"You don't understand yet, do you? Bunny is completely under my control! I altered the nanobots to work on humans; I wanted to see if they worked on Powerpuff girls. I saved myself the hassle of making one myself. And I have to admit, starting with one who's brain was already busted certainly made it easier,"

"Don't you dare talk about her that way! There's nothing wrong with her! You're the one who's messed up!" Blossom growled.

Dick smirked, "Oh there was a lot wrong with her. But I fixed the parts that mattered. Now she's normal. Now she's better. I'd wager that now, Bunny is the strongest Powerpuff girl on the planet," Blossom snarled and rose to her feet. Bunny punched her across the face, forcing her to the ground once more. The pink puff looked up, seeing the look of horror on Bunny's face. She was still fighting it.

"Bunny don't listen to him...you were perfect before,"

"You were a failed experiment. I made you successful!" Dick insisted, "But, soon none of that will matter. Those dark powers of yours may have helped you escape, but your sisters aren't so lucky. And, it seems like they can't protect that big, powerful brain of yours," Dick laughed wildly, sauntering toward the far wall. He shot through the air, landing on the crosswalk.

"Soon, I'll control all four of the Powerpuff Girls,"

"What do you want from us!?" Blossom shouted, slowly climbing to her hands and knees.

"Revenge isn't enough, eh?" Dick smirked, "No, and I agree. No, you four are merely the harbingers of the end times. With your power, I will burn this world to the ground. And then...I'll show you and everyone else what Chemical X really is. I've already improved the formula, made it even stronger than when it made you," Blossom's mouth fell open, her eyes widened. Dick grinned, "Once you four destroy the world, I'll create my own Powerpuff Girls to stop you, to save the world. Then...with the power of Chemical X, and you miserable brats out of the way, I will become the God over a new world,"

"I won't let you! We won't let you get away with this!" Blossom rose to her feet, crackling with power. The pain in her head was blinding; her heart was pounding like a hammer in her chest. It was getting hard to breath.

"Don't you remember, Blossom? This was all thanks to you," Dick grinned, and lowered his shades, staring at her with his blood red eyes, "Together, you and I are going to forge a new world. Remember April," Dick threw his head back, laughing. In that instant, Blossom shot off the ground, colliding with him like a bullet to the chest. He gasped, staring down at her arm, buried in his stomach. She snarled and pulled her other hand back, gathering a colossal amount of energy in her mitt. Dick glared, thrusting his hand out, shooting Blossom away from him. She hit the ground and screamed, her body suddenly locking up.

"You...you really are a monster, aren't you? Fine...I don't need all of you. Kill her, Bunny," Dick shouted, leaning against the railing and holding the bloody gap in his stomach. Bunny took a step toward Blossom, staring at her with wide eyes. Blossom screamed, fighting as her limbs pulled back, as if trying to pull her own body apart. Bunny clenched her eyes shut and grabbed her head.

"What are you waiting for? Kill her!" Dick called.

"NO!" Bunny shouted, the scream exploding from her lips and throwing Dick against the wall. He groaned and climbed to his feet, leering at her.

"Fine, then die with her. Kill them both..." he muttered, "You will serve me as your new God, or you will die and I'll build a throne from your corpses," with that, Dick exited through one of the doorways on the crosswalk. The other doors suddenly opened and robots began flooding into the room.

"No...I can't..." Blossom fought against the nanobots controlling her, but the best she could do was sit up. She couldn't even shapeshift. Bunny growled, pulling her hands away from her head. The robots began to advance on them.

"Bunny do good...Bunny do good..." she muttered, opening her eyes. Her eyes were glowing like purple suns, her skin was lit up bright. The first robot readied a laser, but before it could go off, Bunny smashed it in half with a single punch, one that sent it crashing into the wall. The entire facility shook. Bunny slowly pulled her fist back, growling and struggling against the nanobots in her head.

As if a switch was flipped, the robots lunged at them, some firing lasers, others attacking with duranium blades and powerful piston punches. The first one to throw a punch had its arm smashed by Bunny's. In fact, the punch hit so hard the entire robot was torn apart from the sheer force. Bunny threw herself over Blossom, shielding her from a spray of laser fire.

"Bunny don't, you're going to-" Blossom choked out. Bunny shook her head, rising and taking a deep breath. She screamed, blasting away the robots nearest to them.

"Bunny save Blossom. Bunny do good," She cried, like a mantra. Bunny was like a hurricane, tearing through the robots like they were made of cardboard. Despite their capacity to heal, her punches hit with so much force, parts of them were vaporized on contact. She snatched one, using it like a bat to crush more as they piled into the ground. Bunny threw the battered bot aside and screamed, blowing away the robots swarming Blossom.

The facility was trembling, every blow was rocking the foundation. After another explosive shout, Blossom heard something snap deeper in the facility. She closed her eyes and focused against the strain of the nanobots in her head. Blossom moaned.

"W-Water?" she was sure that was what she heard. Somewhere, water was rushing into the facility, "Oh no, no..." Blossom forced herself to her hands and knees, "We're underwater...this place is underwater!" She hissed. Somehow, she managed to lift her head, to survey the chaos. The room was littered with hundreds, maybe thousands of robotic bodies. And the whole time, a purple fireball was zipping around the room, smashing them apart like toys.

"Bunny...you're incredible," Blossom whispered, clenching her eyes shut. The pain in her head had grown to the point she couldn't see straight anymore. She could hear voices whispering in her ears. She could feel fingers slipping around her mind. Her body was going numb. She was losing control, "The nanobots...Bunny destroy the nanobots...Bunny..." Blossom gasped. Dick mentioned the nanobots had been made here. If that was the case, something had to be controlling them. Something had to be...

"Bunny!" Blossom choked out, just above a whisper. Somehow, her sister heard her and landed beside her. It was like they hadn't even touched her, Blossom noticed. Even her dress was in pristine condition. Dick's claim that Bunny was the most powerful in the world...may have been right after all. While Blossom hesitated, lost in thought, Bunny winced and held her head. She could still feel the fingers, hear the voices.

"Blossom?" she called. Blossom blinked, wresting control of her mind back. She took several deep breaths, fighting to make her mouth work.

"Bunny scream," Blossom managed to get out, "Scream until they stop," Blossom went limp, her hands slowly sliding away from her head. The voices were screaming, the fingers were grasping down on her. Bunny blinked, then nodded, narrowing her eyes. She took a deep breath, ignoring the robots around her, and let loose her most powerful explosive shout yet. Even after the initial explosion, she continued screaming, releasing another shockwave.

Wave after wave of explosive power erupted from the little Powerpuff girl, crushing and smashing the remaining robots. The facility shook, another explosion hit and more water began to rush inside. Another explosion. The ceiling began to creak and groan. It couldn't, it wouldn't last much longer. Finally, a massive tremor hit the entire base, knocking Bunny off balance, silencing her scream. The robots that had somehow survived, went limp and fell to the ground.

Blossom slowly sat up. The voices were gone, the fingers had let go. She shivered, moving her arms freely, touching her face. She looked up, seeing Bunny, exhausted, but smiling. Blossom stumbled to her feet and pulled her little sister into a tight hug, spinning her around.

"You did it! Bunny you did it!" she screamed. Bunny bit her lip and nodded, burying herself in Blossom's warm embrace.

"Bunny do good?" she asked breathlessly. Blossom nodded, kissing her head.

"Yes, Bunny did very good. I'm so proud of you..." Blossom went silent, and her mouth fell open. She dropped to her knees, guiding Bunny as she went limp. Another explosion rocked the facility; in the distance she could hear water rushing.

"Bunny?" Blossom asked, oblivious to the world around her. Bunny's skin was still glowing, but she was shaking, "No...no, Bunny, no! Not...you can't...no, please, oh please, not again, please?" Blossom sobbed, tears spilling down her cheeks. She pulled her baby sister closer and hugged her with all her might, trying her best to settle what she knew was coming. Bunny couldn't stop shaking, her power couldn't stop rising.

"Blossom no cry," Bunny stammered, now crying as well. Blossom shook her head and held her closer. The two heard a scream and a rush of wind, followed by another. Though it hurt, Blossom looked up into Bubbles' eyes, into Buttercup's, and shook her head.

"I can't...she...Bunny saved me...and now...now she's..." she bit her lip and lowered her eyes.

"No, Bunny...no, this isn't fair! No!" Buttercup screamed, grabbing Bunny's hand and holding it tight. She could feel it though, the power trembling below the surface. Power that, now, she couldn't control anymore. Bubbles didn't say anything, she threw herself at Bunny, hugging her as tight as she could.

"We're so sorry, we never wanted you to get hurt. Oh God, we were so awful to you, I'm so sorry, we're so sorry," Buttercup whispered between strangled sobs.

"No...Bunny sorry...Bunny so mad, but it...Bunny not mad anymore...Bunny forgive sisters. Bunny love sisters. So happy to see again," she giggled, somehow smiling as her power rose to a dangerous level. She was shining.

"We can make it better...the Professor, he can..." Blossom shook her head, "He can do something...we can do something..."

"No," Bunny said simply. Her sisters stared at her, eyes wide, "Bunny so tired...done hurting...hurt so much. Bunny love sisters, but, Bunny want...to sleep," she confessed. Bubbles wailed, burying her face in Bunny's dress. Buttercup struggled to speak, in the end biting her fist and lowering her head. Only Blossom managed to say anything, even if it hurt.

"Is that...really what you want?" she asked.

"Uh huh..." she replied, staring up at the ceiling. Her voice was distant.

Blossom lowered her head and closed her eyes, "We'll stay with you,"

"Bunny stay with you too,"

Water began to rush into the chamber, the ceiling was starting to collapse. A beam fell from overhead, splashing the four little girls, drenching them. The facility shook, another explosion going off somewhere deep inside. A warning siren was blaring, instructing them that they needed to evacuate for the surface immediately.

The first beam of white hot light shot from Bunny's arm.

Her sisters only held her closer.


End file.
